


Jessie Fleming: Roman Demigod with Big Dreams

by RhiD29



Series: Demigod athlete [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, RIORDAN Rick - Works, Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson, Gen, Mention of HoH characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-01 07:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 82,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13290324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhiD29/pseuds/RhiD29
Summary: About to turn 16, Jessie Fleming learns she is a demigod and goes to Camp Jupiter. Will she be able to play soccer there? And be able to accept national invitation to go to different camps? And mostly, going to the Olympics in hope to medal with Canada like she always dreamed of?





	1. And I thought it would be fitness testing

**Author's Note:**

> Things to know before reading:
> 
> This idea started when I decided to make Percy Jackson character in sims and I needed more campers, so I made originals characters. Then, I decided to write about some of my favorites originals. It was around Rio Olympic games, so I had this idea of putting some young athletes in the mix. I know time has passed since, but I had tried on a first version, and never finished it to publish about hockey fanfictions. I decided to give my demigods a second try and here I am. 
> 
> For those who are fans of Rick Riordan book: at the praetoria, you might notice I put Jason and Reyna. The reason is that I didn’t feel like having Jason away, and I didn’t know who could be the fifth cohort’s centurion to replace Frank as centurion, so Jason and Reyna lead the camp, and Frank and Hazel are centurions.  
> I might not talk about it a lot in this fanfiction, but it will at least be mentioned at some point: I ship Reyna with Leo. How they ended up together instead of Leo/Calypso is a weird thing, but in my head this story is set after the last Rick Riordan series, so anything can happen. How did they break up and Leo fell in love with Reyna is a mystery, though. I just never liked the Calypso thing. 
> 
> For those who are reading this because of the soccer players or Penny Oleksiak: Percy Jackson books are about having demigods in the world we live right now. There will not be a tons of monster fight or anything fantastic, maybe just one or two battles when Jessie leaves the secured camp. Things to know, technology attracts monsters, so demigods rarely use it. 
> 
> Time line: I know we are not supposed to put a year on Rick Riordan stories, but as the athletes are real people, I decided it would start when Jessie is 16, and this makes it be in 2014. For Rick Riordan’s characters, I decided Jason and Reyna are about 18-20 years old.

Jessie was in the plane on her way to the United Sates. She was flying from her native London, Canada for a U17 camp with the national team. She was not at her first time, so she knew what would happen. It was not the case of the girl sitting just next to her. She looked stressed like crazy, but being in a plane could have been the cause too. Jessie had never seen that girl, but she had already asking her how camps were. Jessie was taken by surprise a little. The girl knew who she was? Ok, she had been in the U17 for two years and now captain, and was tested not so long ago in the U20 despite being only 16, but it was still weird for the Ontarian. The number of time she’d talk about Christine Sinclair to people and she’d have a “What, who?” face, she never thought someone would recognize her.

She decided to get to know the girl next to her a little. After all, they were going to be teammates.

              “I’m just so happy to be able to go to a camp. When I got the call, I couldn’t believe it, I was just so excited… and my parents said no!”

Jessie made big eyes. Her parents didn’t want her to represent her country? That was weird. When Jessie got her first call ever to represent Canada, her parents were just waiting for her to arrive from school to tell her and were very excited for her. They said yes right away and wanted her to have fun.

              “By the way, I’m Ann-Sophie. I’m from Quebec City.”

Jessie smiled at the girl. She had no clue if she ever represented Quebec province or not, and she didn’t really ask. She might not, the girls weren’t always recruited during provincial camps or competition between provinces. And her parents didn’t seem to be the kind of people to let her go to whatever camp she gets invited to. Jessie almost felt bad for Ann-Sophie. Letting kids have fun and not push them to be athlete was ok, but when they are good, you can let them compete at high level, right?

They finally made it, to Jessie’s pleasure. She didn’t know what to talk about with the Quebecer, and the latest started being nauseous, so Jessie was hoping on landing before she’d vomit. It was Ann-Sophie’s first time in plane, and she was not liking it much.

They made their ways to pick the luggage and then went by bus to the hotel. Jessie took that time to catch up with another player she liked hanging out with during camps. They talked about school and boyfriends. They could have talked for hours, but the hotel was not that far from the airport. The coach, Bev Priestman, had told Jessie she’d be roomed with a newcomer, and she realised it was the blond girl sitting next to her during the flight. Ann-Sophie looked a little bit better than when she left the plane, but not much. Jessie shrugged as she thought the 14 years old probably had motion sickness.

Jessie couldn’t wait to get on the field. She had spent a lot of time sitting, and she just wanted to move a little. But they didn’t start before the next morning. She went to the restaurant with some of her friends. She had played for Ontario with some of them, or against them for some.

The next morning, Jessie was ready for the camp. It went well, she was used to those camp. It always tested her limits and she liked that. It was not easy, and she could see some girls having trouble at some tests. On the field, though, it was fine for everyone. They tried different systems, they got used to each other a bit.

The coach took her aside at some point during the week.            

“Jessie, we’d like you to go to the U20 camp this year. We want to see you again at that level. I think you did an excellent job at the fitness testing last time, and we want to see you on the field. I love your vision of the game.”

Jessie smiled. She was called back. That was good news and Jessie couldn’t wait to tell her parents. She was a competitive person and her final goal was the Olympics. The next games were in two years, it was two soon, so she was aiming for Tokyo’s.

She was returning to the gym when she saw Ann-Sophie running to the bathroom. She looked quickly inside the gym. No one was looking in their direction, and she was sure people thought she was still with the coach, so she followed the blonde girl.

              “You’re ok?”

It was fitness testing today, it happened often that someone pushed a little too much its limit. It was not new to Jessie.

              “I don’t know… I was hoping it was just that I did too much, but I felt like crap the whole afternoon… I wouldn’t be surprise it’s a virus, when something’s around, I always get it. Or maybe it’s a mix of both.”

Uh. Jessie didn’t know what to say. Ann-Sophie looked a bit better, so Jessie decided to go back in the gym before her coaches wondered where she was or thought she was trying to escape the tests.

              “Fleming, you’re back! Can you help me with those?” a coach asked her, material in hands.

She did as ask. She always did. Complaining was not Jessie’s kind. Plus, she was the captain this year, so helping was normal. Coach Priestman didn’t ask where she was between their meeting and then.

She decided to tell Priestman that Ann-Sophie was sick. She knew the girl wouldn’t want it to be known, afraid that it’d mean she failed the test, but at the same time, if she really had a virus, the coach had to know and let her rest. Jessie knew the coach was nice about it. Not if you were sick often, it was not a good excuse to miss practice, but Jessie knew Ann-Sophie was not pretending. The coach could let chances, Jessie recalled that time she had a stomach bug during game day and she wanted to play to prove herself and the coach had refused to let her play.

              “Thank you for telling me. I know sometimes girls don’t want me to know. But I can see you’re worried about her and doing that proves me that I chose well my captain. I’m hoping for you to go far in your soccer career, Fleming. I’m just hoping you can learn to defend yourself without having to go to that camp, because they are not always good with letting someone go, once there. Anyway, you’re not 16, if you made it through without going there, you can maybe just never go. You’d be a bit old for your first year…”

Jessie felt relieved when coach Priestman said good words about her, but then, she got confused. What camp was she talking about? It didn’t look like the U20 camp she talked about earlier that day. What did she meant by defending herself? From what? From who?

Coach Priestman didn’t say anything else about it. And she was talking so softly that Jessie wondered if she was supposed to have understand something.

              “It’s time to go back to the hotel, can you go tell Flowers?”

Jessie looked at Bev before realising she was talking about the sick girl. Her last name was Flowers? For some reasons, Jessie had not heard her last name yet. She nodded at the coach demand before going by the bathrooms.

              “Ann-Sophie, we’re going back to the hotel, come on. Oh, and Coach Priestman wants you to rest.”

The girl looked like she wanted to kill her. She didn’t say anything and stood up, a bit dizzy. They went to the bus together, slowly. Clearly, Ann-Sophie had a virus, otherwise, she’d already be feeling better.

Jessie spent a part of her evening doing homework. At some point, she left the room to move a bit. She wanted to talk to one of her teammate in another room. She took her homework with her, maybe she’d be more productive with her friend than with a puking girl next to her. It just depended of the conversation preventing them to concentrate or not.

She was half way when she saw a woman coming her way and looked at her weirdly. She shivered. The woman didn’t inspired trust. She thought about passing next to her like it was nothing, but she blocked the way.

              “What do you want? I just want to pass, Ms.” Jessie said.

She laughed and then, something weird happened. Jessie felt like the woman was getting bigger in the hallway. Like if she was gaining weight. It couldn’t be possible. She was just imagining. She was just going to pass next to her like nothing. Maybe she had caught Ann-Sophie’s virus and was starting to have a fever? It would explain the shivering?

The woman hit her as she was going to pass. She was not going to reach her friend’s room.

It was not possible, she was hallucinating. No way… The woman suddenly had wings. And looked like a demon. It was half a bird, half a woman. But the creature was clearly not going to be nice with her. It let a shriek out of its mouth. And then she got attacked by it. She felt the hooked claws in her chest as she was pushed in the wall.

Jessie was clearly injured badly. She didn’t know how bad it was, but it was not good. It hurt like crazy. She thought she would faint. But she couldn’t stay there. That thing was going to attack again. Jessie was mostly sure. She tried moving and she winced of pain.

She could hear the monster mocking about her being a weak daughter of Victoria. The monster knew her mother? All she knew about her was her name, and now that thing…

It was about to attack again, this time to kill her, Jessie thought, when it suddenly disappeared. Coach Bev Priestman was behind it as it just went into dust.

              “What was that, what happened, tell me I’m dreaming!”

The English woman ran to her player.

              “Holy shit, I should have known. I should have put someone on your case to protect you. I knew you were one of us, I should have done something,” she said, trying to stay calm before screaming for an ambulance. “Now take this. It will help a little.”

The coach gave Jessie medicine and to the Ontarian’s surprise, it calmed the pain a bit. She thought it would do nothing before at least half an hour, and she was injured enough she didn’t even have hope it would work. She saw some doors opening, players phone in hand ready to call 911.

              “Oh shit she’d been shot! I thought the noise was coming from my movie on Netflix! Oh shit!” one of them said, panicking.

The assistant coach came in.

              “Please group the girls and stay with them to calm them. I’m going to the hospital with Fleming,” Bev ordered to her colleague.

Jessie didn’t remember the rest of that night. Either she had passed out, either it was too blurry to tell what was going on. She knew she had been taken to the hospital, and Bev had reached Fleming’s father on the phone, but it was it. Bev saying to her father that she’d tell Jessie the truth was probably just an hallucination. That with regretting to have used a cellphone.

She woke up in the middle of the night, crying of pain. The coach was still there. Jessie assumed she was in the ER, so Priestman probably didn’t want to leave.

              “What was that? You know the answer. Why did it attack. Why the girls heard a gunshot when it was that creature screaming? Why did you say I was one of yours? What does that mean?”

              “I’m going to explain later, dear. I’m afraid I don’t have any other choice but to. Your journey’s only starting now. But it was a monster. A strix, to be precise.”

Jessie was someone curious, so she wanted to know more. She wanted to understand. She asked again her questions.

              “The girls don’t know what it was because they are not like us. The mythological things are covered to mortals by something called mist. I used it so they’d think it was a gunshot. Now, I’m going to tell you who we are. I don’t know who your mother is, but I was hoping she would not be important enough for monsters to track you. I guess I was wrong. Earlier, I told you about a camp I wished you didn’t have to go. Well, I guess you won’t have any other choice. You need to learn how to fight. Even if it means I might not succeed into getting you out of there during soccer camps. I’m hoping they changed since I was there, but…”

              “You’re beating around the bush. What am I? Seriously… you talk like we are not normal. Like I’m something weird. And who the hell is my mother? Is she into a weird sect of some sort?”

Bev laughed at the last question. Great, anything to make Jessie feel better. What was her coach hiding again? Why was she not saying anything more?

              “You are a demigod, Jessie. Your father is mortal, but your mother is a goddess. Do you know her name, it would simplify everything?”

              “Victoria. All I know about her is she’s named Victoria.”

Bev nodded.

              “There’s a camp for people like us. It’s somewhere in the California State. I can’t tell you where exactly, you need to find it yourself, but I can send you to Lupa. She’ll train you and make sure you’re tough enough for the Legion. Then, she’ll send you off. This means you probably won’t be available for soccer camp this spring, but I’ll call at Jupiter camp to invite you to the July one with the U20. I’m mostly sure you’ll be there at that time if nothing happens.”

Bev might have said something more, but Jessie just couldn’t keep her eyes open.

Jessie was too in pain or too exhausted to realise what her coach’s words meant. It only hit her during the afternoon. She was a demigod. It meant gods existed. What kind of gods? In plural?

She had tons of questions to Coach Priestman when she came back from the sport center. Enough that Jessie thought she destabilised the woman. Like… she didn’t think Jessie would have tons of things that would pop up in her mind?

Romain gods. Oh boy… Jessie knew nothing at all on the subject. Greek mythology, yeah she heard of… Romain? Not really… She was hoping it would be similar, but she was sure it was in fact not at all.

She stayed at the hospital for another day, and then, Bev and Jessie took a flight together. To San Francisco. Jessie was not returning to London. She thought she’d miss her friends, and that they’d need an explanation, as well as her teammates back there, but she didn’t have much choice. Knowing you’re a demigod attracted more monsters than not knowing. Go figure why! Bev told her she’d make sure her personal belongings would be sent at camp once she’s there. But for now, she was stuck without anything more than a school bag for a couple of weeks.

Bev forgot to tell Jessie Lupa was a wolf. So, Jessie got very surprised when she saw the animal walking by her. Lupa’s dialect was not English, but for some reasons, Jessie understood what it what saying. Lupa asked her to do some fitness tests. Running was one of the first thing that was asked. Jessie didn’t mind. She actually liked it. She had good stamina. She was a sportive girl, and Bev thought it was because of her mother.  She’d been told her mother was the goddess of victory. Jessie wondered if the noun victory was named after Victoria… or vice versa?

Lupa trained her for some weeks, Jessie gave up on counting the days after a while. And she was in California, she couldn’t figure it out with the weather. In Canada, it would have been simpler. Still snowing? It’s not the end of March/beginning of April yet.

When she finally got the go, she had no clue where to go. Lupa told her she would know but how? She didn,t have any map of the region, and she was more than sure any GPS would not give her where the camp was. And she had to forget about technology anyway.

For some reasons, she thought she had to go by North. She didn’t know why, but it was like that. Could she trust her feelings? Go by instinct? Lupa told her to, so she went in the direction she felt she was needing to go. She didn’t know where she was. But she kept on walking as long as her feeling didn’t tell her to turn a little. She was happy when she finally saw a little road, and a car stopped. She asked for his direction, and the man decided to take her. Jessie knew she couldn’t stay in the car too long otherwise she’d lose her way, but it was better to walk a mile back than walking… 10? 30? 50? 100? She didn’t know how far she was from the camp. And the fastest she could go there, the less chances she’d be chased by monsters. Bev had given her a sword before leaving her to Lupa, and she had started to learn how to use it. But she wasn’t good with that. But it had to do the trick. She had to make it to the camp. She was going to go to the camp safe and sound. Jessie was determined to do so, and nothing would stop her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ann-Sophie Flowers is actually an original character. Another story in this series will be about her. She is also a demigod, but she’s the daughter of a Greek god, compared to Roman for Jessie, so they don’t end up in the same camp. Ann-Sophie doesn’t know she’s a demigod yet, she did not notice the attack, and will learn about it later. Jessie and Ann-Sophie will meet in another chapter, but as rivals.


	2. It’s like in the army, you might never go home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessie is now going to the camp. Will she like it? How does it work?

Jessie had made the road being someone’s passenger, then another person, and again someone else, until she felt like she was totally going the right place. It was risky, she could either jump in a car full of monsters, or being chased by one, but she preferred being in a car than walking, it was faster. She tried not thinking of it. She tried thinking about what she’d do if she is chased and the mortal can’t see it at all. Would she get out to face it, with the lack of experience in battles, or she just ask to push the pedal a little for no reason?

At some point, her internal radar felt like it was going to explode, and she knew she was near. She could feel it from every inch of her body. There were no doubts. And she made it without being attacked once. It was weird, but Jessie thought she was lucky. Or the monsters knew where the camp was exactly and waited lazily around for newcomers?

She needed a way to get out of the car now. She was on a highway between mountains. Lupa had talked about a valley, the camp was probably somewhere the other side of the mountains. She couldn’t risk going too far from there.

              “Can you park before the beginning of that tunnel, right there? I need to get out,” Jessie tried.

              “We’re on a highway, girl. I can’t park here.”

              “Please, I don’t feel good. I need to get out. I don’t want to disturb you more, just let me here and when I’ll feel better I’ll stop someone else,” Jessie lied. Ok, the radar screaming inside didn’t make her feel great, but she was far from vomiting. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to pretend she was, she was not good at this. Sport was her thing, not theatre.

She felt the car slowing down. It worked. The man finally park, right before the tunnel, and Jessie knew she was even more close than before. She thanked the man, and went a bit further from the road and sat on the ground, head between the knees. She was just waiting for the man to turn back the power of his car up and go, but he’d think she was trying to calm her stomach and dizziness. It was perfect.

She didn’t wait that long before being able to stand up. She approached the tunnel, but it made her nervous, the space between the road and the tunnel walls looks tight. Finally, when she gets there, she realised it’s quite large. “Could the entrance be in the tunnel?” Jessie thought, and then she noticed human movement a bit further. Demigod guarding? Monsters waiting? There was only one way to find out…

She approached a bit nervously. There were two guards. Armed with swords, and armor. Jessie’s radar was now giving her an headache, and she thought, “Ok, this is it, is must be campers, it can’t be monsters, not now.”

They saw her. It was two girls. They looked at her, head to toes, then looked at each other.

              “Are you going to study me like that for long? Is the camp near, is that door the entrance?” Jessie said. It was not polite and she should probably shut her mouth, but she just couldn’t stand being stared at.

The tallest girl looked at the other.

              “I stay here and you enter with her? Can you send me Bobby or Jacob? I think it’s their turn to come. They’re probably hiding somewhere playing on their console they are not even supposed to have!”

The other nodded and made Jessie a sign to follow her.

              “I’m Jill. Where are you from? Did you got attacked a lot coming from Lupa?”

Jessie told her about her trip, then where she was from. She didn’t want to mention soccer. Not yet.

              “How old are you? You look older than our usual newcomers, I’m pretty sure.”

              “I’m turning 16 in a few months.”

They went out of the tunnel. Jessie looked at the valley in front of her. The river, the camp that looked perfectly quadrilateral, a big field where biuldings where being build, and further, something that looked like a city.

Jessie was excited to be in a place for people like her, but she didn’t like how Lupa talked about it being a legion. Sure, she had to learn how to defend herself from monsters, but of the thousands of careers she could choose, she knew the army was in the list of dead last. And was the schedule very tight, or she could have plenty of time to play a ball? And what about the camps with Ontario and Canada? The tournaments? Was she even going to receive a phone call? Where? Her father never let her use a cellphone, so she didn’t have one. Where would coach Priestman or any other would call to reach her? And if there was a line they could reach, will the leader of the legion – whatever the name it has – will accept she goes in Canada times to times? In fact, she didn’t have the choice to go back, she was not American. She had to cross the border once in a while, right?

Jill made her pass in the river first. The water was a bit cold, but she made it through without any problems. She didn’t question why they didn’t take the bridge half a mile at her right, just because she wasn’t sure it was welcoming to question it.

Jill made her a fast tour of the camp before they went to the praetoria. Jessie knew Coach Bev Priestman had written her a letter in the plane to San Francisco, but she didn’t know what it said. She had been told to give it to the praetors, the leaders of the camp. Jill warned Jessie not to lie in front of Reyna, especially her dogs. Who was Reyna?

They entered the building where the praetors were, the Principia. The praetors were a blond boy and a girl with dark hair in a braid. They were maybe a few years older than Jessie. Next to the young woman, there was two automatons dogs: one silver, one gold.

              “A new face! Newcomer? You look old a bit,” the girl said. Jessie assumed it was the Reyna Jill told her about.

Jessie knew it was time to present herself. She explained fast where she was from, and told them her father never said anything about the gods to her, but she knew her mother was named Victoria.

              “My soccer coach is the one that told me. She came here years ago. She also wrote me a recommendation letter, if you need to have one.”

Reyna and blond boy looked interested by what she was saying. They took the letter. The boy looked at it.

              “Jessie plays Canada U17 soccer. Ok, interesting. I’m not that surprised Victoria is your mother. You are an interesting demigod and I don’t see why we would not take you in our ranks. Why do you think Reyna?”

Reyna looked at his colleague and nodded.

              “Jason and I are going to present you tonight to the cohorts and centurions will debate on who take you in theirs. Jill, can you go take her to your training today and then uh… latin classes?”

The legionnaire nodded and the girls went out of there to go in the field to train with swords.

The first day at camp was weird. She felt lost. She didn’t know what she was doing, or where she was supposed to go. Latin was not coming easy for her like she wanted it to be. They said it would take some times, but to what use? Most campers spoke English. They referred to things in Latin that she didn’t get which was confusing, but they didn’t speak it between them…

Jessie started recognizing some faces: the two praetors, some centurions. She got to know some people for each of the five cohorts, and she heard of which was the best or worst. The fifth cohort had gotten a lot of campers lately, and Jessie had been told it was full, which was sad, their leaders seemed to be fun and the ambiance between them looked nice. It was tense in the first, apparently. They used to be considered the best, but not so long ago, things reversed between the first and the fifth as the fifth gained back their honor and the first had betrayers in their ranks. Jessie was hoping to be chosen by the fourth as the third was also full. She was getting along more with the people she met from there than the other cohorts. She was hoping her letter from Bev would lead her to the right place. Training with Jillian Fortino had been nice, and the way Fortuna’s daughter talked, her centurion was not that hard to talk to when needed. Jessie felt they would be friend fast, they were a bit similar. Their healthy competitiveness, their athletic interest… Jill was playing basketball during her free times. It was better being with her than spending her Latin classes with second cohort’s geek Jacob.

Jessie was excited for diner time but nervous at the same time. She just wanted to get installed somewhere, but what if she ended up in the first or second cohort? She thought she would make friends no matter what, but knowing the centurions were more close-minded scared her a little. She knew she was about to be called for a camp soon. She wanted to have a few days in there before asking anything, but…

The call for diner time was made, and the legionnaire she was with at the moment told her to follow. The legion regrouped in front of the Principia, divided by cohort, their two centurions in front. Jessie stayed aside and watched the centurions counting. Reyna and the blond praetor waited they were done and that they confirmed no one was missing.

              “We have a new camper today. Her name is Jessie Fleming, from Canada. She is the daughter of Victoria. In the cohorts that has places for her, is anyone interested to have her or I pick?”

Each centurion looked at their colleague. One cohort approved, one disagreed, and a centurion made a “wait” sign.

              “Do we have any recommendation letter?”

Everyone looked like they expected this call.

Reyna talked for a minute, and then, the fourth cohort said they’d take her. Jessie smiled shyly, but she just wanted to scream of joy. She had the cohort she secretly wished for.

No one explained her how the different ranks worked. The cohort you were in didn’t seem to matter as you always stayed in the same, apparently. She asked the question during meal time. 

              “You are on probation. You stay _probatio_ for a year before being full time in the legion. Or unless you do something very good, an act of valor, they promote you sooner to legionnaire status. You must do ten years of service as legionnaire before being able to leave the camp. After something like five years, you can be eligible to be part of the senate, but it’s usually the centurions and praetors. And for the centurion or the praetors’ spots, I guess they look for leadership and achievements. There is also those that have a so good recommendation letter they can skip work like digging ditches or conjugating Latin verbs and have the special job of messenger. That’s obviously not your case.”

Jessie made Jill repeat the part about the years of service.

              “Ten years? But what about university?”

Jill looked at the Canadian with curiosity.

              “There’s one in the city of New Rome that you can see from here. And since when age is a matter? People goes after their service years. Usually they are around 20 and 25 years old. You’ll be a bit older than the average, I guess.”

Jessie realised she’d be 26 or 27. It was too late for NCAA eligibility. Jessie moaned.

              “I guess I’ll turn to pro leagues and go to university at the same time then… if someone can see me play soccer somewhere. Can we leave the camp for short periods of time during our years of service? Like once in a while? Because I only have Canadian citizenship, and I also play soccer and I’d like to go to the camps I’m invited to. I’m currently waiting for a call from national team coach. A staff member is a former legionnaire, so she knows where to call I think. I’m also waiting on some bags she’s supposed to send me. All I have are my clothes and soccer equipment I had for the last camp I went to, cause that’s when I learned I am a demigod.”

Jill seemed to feel bad for her. Jessie was pissed. She was really stuck here for ten years? The only answer Jill had one of those Jessie didn’t want to hear.

              “The gods know the camp is in USA, so they claim being American, so their children don’t have to worry about going back in their country once in a while.”

Jessie started picking up her food furiously. She didn’t care people knew she was pissed. She felt like going out of that cafeteria and just go shoot the ball she had in her bag the hardest she could on whatever target she could find. But she couldn’t escape without being obvious. And she didn’t know if it would break a rule.

The praetor – Jason, if Jessie recalled correctly – came over and sat next to her.

              “Hey, are you ok? Your first day was hard?”

Jessie was surprised he cared. Maybe he was just pretending. She hesitated to talk about her concerns. She was just named into a cohort an not officially part of the legion and she’d ask him for a privilege? She couldn’t do that. Instead she just asked if there was a phone she could use to call someone, or to receive a call.

              “There’s one in the Principia. If someone has the number here, we’ll take the message and find you so you can call him back, don’t worry about it. If you want, we can go there after the games and call before bed time?”

Games? What games? Oh, they were playing something after eating? Jessie decided her dad might deserve a call to know she was safe and sound. And maybe complain about how she thought she’d hate this place.

They went on Field of Mars for the game. The building that was being constructed was finished now and was used for the purpose of that game. She’s been told they built something every week, played, and destroyed it to build something new for the next week’s game. And the field was also used for marching drills. Wait what? Ok, that was clearly like the army. Jessie rolled her eyes. She was totally going to hate this place.

She felt useless during the whole game as she had never had used a sword before. They told her to watch and run if needed. Good strategy! It was kind of violent and she didn’t feel like getting in there. Not for tonight, she thought, but staying away was a bit hard for the competitive teenager she was.

It didn’t last too long, to Jessie’s pleasure. In fact, the game – that looked a bit like Capture the flag – was quite short, so she heard legionnaires asking for another one.

              “Cohort 1,3 and 5 are the winner this week. You’ll get your revenge, don’t worry! But not tonight. You’ll have free time to do whatever you want to,” Reyna announced.

Jessie was happy they were not playing another game. And she decided she would use her unexpected free time to play a bit of soccer. She felt like it was forever since she had last touch a ball. Lupa had taken it until it was time to leave the wolf goddess and she had obviously not taken it on her way here.

Jason joined her before she could enter in her barrack. There was four by cohort, with ten bunks each.

              “I thought you wanted to call someone?” he said, smile in his face.

Jessie had forgotten about this, too excited to finally being able to put her soccer shoes on. She entered in her barrack to take her bag before following Jason in his office. She dialed her dad’s number. She looked at the clock and realised it was bed time for him. “Please answer,” she thought.

He did, and she talked with him for half an hour. She told him how it was, what she had been doing. She was not that confident when she talked about the camp, and her father guessed something was wrong. Jason was not far from her, on a computer, so Jessie wasn’t sure if she could tell her dad how she really felt. And at the same time, if she told her dad she wasn’t at her place there, he would feel bad for her and want her home. She was at the camp for her best. She had to stay.

              “It’s just that I guess I have to get used to how it works. It’s like the army here, seriously. Ten years of service, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to get out to see you… I… what do I do with the camps I’m supposed to have a call for, that is in the next months? And my dream to represent Canada at senior level? And I won’t even be able to play in the NCAA, I’ll be too old when I get out of here… There’s a university here I’ll be able to safely go, but not playing soccer… I don’t know dad. I’m not even sure if being here is a good idea. I feel like I have to give up on my dreams even though I know I could have reach them… Why did you fell in love with a goddess, seriously?”

She had started crying. She was mad. At him. At her mother. At Bev who made her believe that maybe she could go to that freaking tournament with the U20!

And she realised she missed her home. Her dad. She just wanted to relax next to him in the sofa. Playing soccer with her friends. Studying English, Math, Physics, and even French! Who cared about Latin really? She was sure conjugating the verbs in that language was harder that in French, and gods, that language made no sense to Jessie! She also missed the snow a bit. She had not seen the winter at all, and they were now in the spring, and she was in California!

Her dad told her she was going to be fine, that she would adapt, and she tried to believe him, even if he had no clue what he was talking about. She had to, after all. She was stuck here. She could go away, but she was pretty sure she’d get killed before reaching the Canadian border.

She finally hung up, and Jason was still behind her. She was sure that he heard all she said, even if he didn’t want to. She was in his office!

              “Your dream was the Olympics and play soccer at college?” he politely asked.

She didn’t answer. She took her soccer shoes, tied her shoes tight from frustration, and took her ball and just ran away. Running felt good. She pushed the ball until she reached the Field of Mars. Then, she took a wall as target and shot. Until she was tired of it. She noticed a girl further playing soccer too, but she knew she was too pissed to make friend that night. The girl must have notice, because Jessie could see she was sometimes looking at her direction, but she never walked by.

She then went to the bath house. She needed a bath, desperately. Then, she went straight to her bed, where she found toiletries and other stuff. She’s been told it was her godly parent that must have put them there as they just appeared.

              “Thanks mom,” Jessie whispered before taking the brochure she had been given, signed by Jason and Reyna. It had the principals Camp rules, how it worked, etc. Not taking any pictures to protect the camp? Ok! Camp not responsible for stolen items like iPod? She decided to watch for hers, and locked her bag with the padlock she always had in her bag to use at the gym.

She went back to her reading. Campers assume all liability for injury and death during war games. War games was what they had played, and seriously, Jessie could totally believe it could be deadly. She had stayed aside for a reason, otherwise, yeah, she would probably have been dead. Having to provide identification when leaving the camp. Oh, so she could leave? They were probably just very strict on why and where? The camp in itself looked strict anyway. Jessie guessed it was a roman thing. She recalled how much in the roman time, how they expanded their territory. It was surely with strict and harsh conduct.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who haven’t read Rick Riordan books and might have not understand the cohort things or rankings at Camp Jupiter, cohorts are how the legion is divided. There are five of them, each have an emblem. The first usually take the one with the best recommendation letter, the second, the 2nd best recommendation letter, etc. The fifth one use to be the worst, but they managed to bring back their honor. Rick Riordan’s characters in Heroes of Olympus series are in the fifth, and it’s them who helped their cohort. Each cohort have four barracks of ten beds, so there are around 200 legionnaires.  
> For the ranks in the legion, the two leaders are called the praetors. Under them are centurions, there’s two of them by cohort. Then you have the rest of legionnaires and campers in probation. There is also a senate, that reunite the praetors and centurion (that are at least at their fifth years of service) plus some ghosts, and they debate on things about the camp.


	3. The possible rival rescue me from deception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Campers learn there is a competition coming. Jessie is one of the most excited legionnaire. But it doesn't last long: she will probably not get the chance to play soccer, because she is a newcomer. Will she convince her centurions to let her play?

She woke up the next day thinking she needed to give the camp a try. She had to stay a little positive and at least be able she said she tried. Trying to have fun. If at the end of May, she didn’t like it and felt like she didn’t belong, then yeah, she could consider leaving. She thought she would, in that amount of time, still be a probatio anyway, so she could just leave it there without having to do the ten years thing, right? Jessie didn’t think she was good enough to do something valuable to skip the probation status to be an official legionnaire that fast. Not before at least six months, which would lead to the beginning of the fall.

Jessie started to hang out with Jill’s friends. They were almost all in her cohort, and weirdly in the same barrack which led to funny evening and some warnings to shut up. There were also three guys from the third cohort, and two from the fifth. Jillian best friend was Lisa, a third cohort member with flashy pick hair. Jessie could spot her everywhere before she would see Jill’s very light blond hair, even if the latest was a foot taller. Basket ball player!

There was also a girl from the first Jessie had the impression she had already seen her face, but couldn’t put a name on her. But the first and the second cohort didn’t hang out with the three others, so Jessie never talked to her. She played soccer pretty well, comparable to Jessie’s talent. Jessie wondered of the rivalry thing was a question of “I take the best recommendation letters, so I have the best campers” attitude. The soccer girl seemed to be nice, but Jessie was a bit afraid of what people think. She was a confident girl usually, but two centurions in particular did not look nice.

The first weeks went by slowly. Jessie was in a learning process and would go to bed exhausted. She was discovering new muscles, especially in her arms, due to fighting and building. She wasn’t using her arms much playing soccer, so apart the muscles she trained at the gym… Her legs were totally fine, she was used to rapid movements, passing from left to right to the front to the back. The thing she missed the most was running. So she started to put her alarm a bit earlier than everyone else and go for morning jogs.

They were spending more time doing physical activities than mental. It was part of the training, and Jessie adjusted quite fast. She was already an athlete, after all. But it felt good when she could sit for Latin, mythology or other classes like that. The things they learned though was not always interesting, and Jessie knew listening in her “monster class” could save her life, but she too often started yawning. She sometimes missed doing Maths and English and physics. They would see a bit of it anyway because of the things they’d build, but they never did a lot of algebra.

A thing Jessie learned quite fast was how the romans were good at building. They built something new every week for War games and destroy it the next day to start it all over again. They never used the same building two weeks in a row. There were two hundred campers, building was going fast. They could move the camp to a totally different location and build it in a matter of days. Jill told her they did some decades before.

Helping on the construction site on Mars Field confirmed Jessie’s desire to become an engineer. She was curious about the material they used. She wanted to major in Materials science engineering one day. Until then, she would learn as much as she could by observing and helping out at camp. At first, she never shared her ideas or opinion on the builds, scared of what they would think of the _probatio girl_ , but Leila and Jill insisted she made her place in the cohort. Knowing her centurion wanted her to integrate the group was reassuring for the Canadian. She was not someone shy usually, but at camp, it took her some time to adjust and take the place she deserved.

There was a meeting at the end of a week. Everyone was there, and Reyna and Jason were waiting they’d calm down before starting to talk. Reyna finally asked the silence.

              “As we made peace with the Amazons, Camp Half-Blood and the Hunters of Artemis lately, we decided, Chiron, my sister Hylla Queen of the Amazons, Jason and I, as well as his sister Thalia, lieutenant of the Hunters, to organise a meeting between us all. It will take form of a competition,” the praetor announced.

Everyone suddenly listen very attentively, and smiles and competitive looks came in their eyes. The camp wanted to win the competition, and was ready to battle. Jessie had heard of the Amazons, Hunters and the Greek camp in an History class a few weeks earlier. She had difficulty hiding her happiness. She was a very competitive person. She couldn’t wait to face them all but feared the event. What if it was sword fight and other types of sports?

Jason followed the explanations, “Because we have a big field, we’ll host the event. The installations will be constructed on Field of Mars, starting on Monday. It means that tonight will be our last War games before mid July. The city of New Rome will be the Olympic village. There will be most sports that exist in real Olympic games, including some winter ones. We are still discussing on the use of powers, if it will be allowed or if it will be considered cheating.”

Most people booed Jason last comment. They wanted to use powers, even if more than half the legion was powerless legacies. Some claimed it would add challenge, or be even more interesting. More a demigod game. Jessie didn’t care much. She was just happy it was normal sports, she knew she was not the best fighter yet. She was getting better, but was not that good either. She was hoping there would be soccer. And she was also good at track and field, sport she was doing in high school. She doubted there was hockey, a sport she played until she decided she wanted to focus on soccer some years before. But there were some winter sports, so she could still have a chance? She was excited to see the list, and train to improve before the competition. They had to let them train together before, right? How disciplined the camp was, Jessie would be surprised if they didn’t practice anything. The praetors would want to show their best, right?

              “The right to choose the sports you want to play will go with the most years of service, after of course Jason, the centurions and I chose. You will have to choose three different sports. Centurions will go see you between Monday and Friday. The list of sports will be available at the Principia this weekend, I suggest you go look at it,” Reyna said.

Jessie was in shock. She was one of the last arrivals. She was going to have the worst sport ever. She didn’t see the point of looking at the list anymore. Everyone was crossing fingers they could still pick their favorite thing, but Jessie knew she would be stuck with swimming. Romans hate water.

              “I want everyone to practice their sports instead of playing War games. The deadline for construction is set on Fortuna day, so we have time to test before July 5th. Competition will end ten days later.

Jessie looked at Jillian Fortino, next to her. Fortuna was her mother, she had to know what was Fortuna day.

              “June 24th. If the day goes well, we’ll have a good year. Otherwise…” the legionnaire resumed, without ending her thoughts. Jessie didn’t need the end of it.

If they missed the deadline, they were screwed.

Jessie went to the field for War games with a frustrated look on her face. She was pissed she had to choose last. Yeah it was kind of normal way to proceed, but she was their best soccer player for sure! Followed by that 1st cohort girl. Jessie had to talk to Leila before Monday, maybe switch between players were possible? If she could convince a 7th or 8th year to take soccer in exchange of what sport was left… As Jessie thought of it, she realised it would be hard. No one would want to play with the luck wheel with her. No one could guess what three sports would be consider the worst. Except the predictable swimming Jessie already hated.

She played War games badly. She was thinking too much about the games that should have trilled her, instead of what she was doing. Her instincts were becoming better, but she still had to think about what she was doing. Fighting was not yet her best strength. She was gaining some muscles in her arms, but her with a sword was far from being graceful. She lacked coordination with her arms. Her feet were used to move a lot, but at the same time, she was used to deal with a ball at her feet, not avoiding a sword or a knife or anything else dangerous.

She could have been killed that night. She found herself lost in her thoughts, she hated Games and wished it was over, when someone hit her hard. She felt the blade in her leg, and the same person pushed her. She felt her bone cracking, and she crashed on the ground. Jessie was not someone who complained easily about pain, but she winced. She tried not crying, she had to be tough, but she didn’t know if it was broken. She was hoping it wouldn’t. Yeah, the doctors there were good and they would cure her fast, but she couldn’t hope for a miracle. She was scared it would take too much time to heal if it was broken. And what about the camp she was hoping to go? She couldn’t lie to the coach and tell him she’d play if she was still recovering!

Medics came to help her fast. The campers had gone a little further to battle and it pleased Jessie. She just wanted to go to sleep.

              “The wound is a little bit deep. I’ll apply some ointment, and then I’ll look at your leg, ok?”

She nodded. They knew what they were doing. Jessie thought some stitches would be useful to help with the bleedings, but they did not use any. Instead, their thing was almost acting magical. The wound was starting to close a little, and it was a bit less painful.

              “It will stop bleeding soon, don’t worry. You’ll be ok. It might hurt you a bit when you’ll move, but you’ll be alright. Now, let’s check your bone.”

Her foot was sprained. It was not great news, but it was better than broken. And not walking on it meant she couldn’t go to sword class for a while. Jessie was optimistic for that one: she could study something and stay calm on her own and no one would ask questions. She wanted to use that sudden free time to learn about engineering. Maybe older legionnaires could tell her some things about it.

Still, she was hoping she’d heal fast to be able to touch the ball the next Friday. It was ambitious, but she knew being away would hurt her. She wanted to show up at a practice and show everyone on the soccer team she should be there. JFlem had to be on that team, to any cost. She was determined to achieve it, and when Jessie Fleming had something in her mind, nothing was stopping her. Ok, maybe that foot would, but she had some weeks ahead of her. The competition was not starting now. She had time.

She got help to walk out of the field to go directly to her bed. She was supposed to go to the baths that night, but Leila told her she’d have that privilege the next morning. The game was over and the centurion was checking on her injured legionnaires. Leila was the nicest one of the two leaders of the cohort, or at least with her. Jessie knew if she had something to ask, she’d make the demand to Ceres’ daughter. Josh was ignoring the probatio. She didn’t exist as long as she was not an official legionnaire. The only time he had her in mind was when he’d need someone to do a dirty task everybody hated. Cleaning bathrooms, stables, etc. And her name was always forgotten. If at least he called her Jessica, it would be close enough. Nah, most of the time, it was not even starting with a J!

The pain was horrible during the night, and she barely slept. Jillian woke her up the next morning, and Jessie felt grumpy. She was not hungry and wanted to stay in bed.

              “Jess you need to go. You know Josh and Leila will punish you if you’re not there in ten.”

Jessie grumbled something and just turned around to sleep five more minutes. It turned out she never woke up until Leila did. She had no clue of how much time had passed.

              “Fleming, why the hell are you still sleeping? Are you sick?”

She had to admit she didn’t feel great. But she was just in pain and exhausted.

              “Foot hurts. Didn’t sleep. Still tired.”

She felt her brain was off. She barely could put a sentence together. But the sun was quite high, and Jessie figured she had slept in way too long. Leila took her blanket and put it on the bed under. Jessie knew she was late and pushing Leila’s limit. But she just wanted a break. She was wondering if pretending she was sick could save her.

              “You’re better showing up in less than five to eat. I counted you this morning, but if Josh notices I’m here with you, it won’t go well. I’ll pretend you escape and went back to bed after I counted instead of the hall.”

Her tone was menacing, and Jessie knew she had no choice. She asked for help to go out of the bed. She should have slept in Jill’s instead of hers, it would have been easier. Going down a ladder with only a foot was a terrible idea. She didn’t even remember how she got there in the first place.

For a second, she forgot the injured foot and put it on the ground with all her weight before the healthy one. Big mistake.

              “Woah, relax. You’re late, but no one wants you to aggravate your injuries. Need help to walk?” Leila offered. Jessie was surprised she was still nice with her.

They faced Reyna as they went out of the barrack. She was screwed.

              “What are you girls doing here?” the praetor asked.

She had her usual serious face. It was impossible to know what she was thinking. That girl never showed any emotion.

              “Jessie came back to pick something for her leg, but she was too much in pain to go back, and when I noticed she was not yet at the hall, I came to check on her,” Leila lied. Jessie was impressed she did. If she got caught, they’d be in big trouble.

Jesse heard grunting behind. She turned to see one of Reyna’s automaton dogs. It showed its teeth, ready to attack. Jessie probably paled. Was Leila going to lie again? And get in trouble for her? No way.

              “Aurum, sit! Leila?”

The praetor was not proud, and was probably pissed. With reasons.

              “She didn’t look good this morning and I let her sleep in. I miscount this morning. It’s totally my fault,” the blond girl admitted.

Jessie was next to her, bright red, just wanting to disappear. She was in probation, she shouldn’t have been in that situation. Was it going to get her kicked out?

Reyna frowned and called her dog. She walked away and said nothing. Jessie looked at her centurion with a confused look. But she was shaking, and Leila was close enough to feel it. She decided walking to the hall was the best idea, but she suddenly felt very dizzy and nauseous. She put a foot in front of her to walk, but instead, she crashed on the ground.

She woke up in bed. It took a while to recognize the people around her: Leila, Reyna and a medic. She was shaking. She was too dizzy and cold to think about Reyna at the moment. She wanted to sleep, not hearing any sound. He head was pounding, and she was still nauseous.

              “We think the blade that hurt you yesterday was poisoned. You’ll need to stay in bed, we’ll provide you medicine to clean your body out.”

It explained how Jessie felt. She closed her eyes, trying to fight the nausea.

She lost track of the time again. And slept for almost two days straight. She was happy to notice she felt better on the Monday morning. She was going to eat lightly and avoid training for a day or two again, but at least, she knew things had switched side. She decided to go to the library and look at some engineering books. At lunch time, she would hear about that competition coming. People started deciding on their sports they’d play. Jessie felt weird about having to choose three. Someone could choose a sport that was one day each, but then Jessie wished she would do hockey and soccer. Could her body support two usually long tournament in one?

              _You’re not even going to have soccer. You’ll only play one long tournament, and it will be hockey. Unless you get stuck with curling. Yew, what if I get swimming and curling, and something as bad?_ Jessie thought. She wanted to think about the worst choices she could have, so maybe she could be happy about what was remaining. She was trying to make up her mind about not being able to choose soccer. Easier said than done.

She focused on helping on building things instead of anything else. It was keeping her mind away from deception of not having what she wanted. And she couldn’t train like everyone else, so she tried helping in any way she could.

She tried talking to Leila. The latest might not know yet how good at soccer she was. She wished she wasn’t injured, so she could do a little demonstration.

              “I know I am in probation, but if you want to win the gold medal in the most sport possible, you guys should go also by talent. I am one of the best player of my age in the country. I even impress the oldest.”

              “Jessie, I know you want to play soccer, but how am I supposed to believe you? You could be lying. I never saw you play with a ball. I noticed you going out with it, but never got the time to watch you. Really, let go. You have to do ten years of service, you’ll have your chance another year.”

Jessie was not a bad loser, but something inside of her told her she had to be on this team. Who knew, it could be the first and last time she’d compete in a big competition? She couldn’t get out of camp, so the Olympics were cruelly away. And what if the Demigod Games committee decides not to do it again after the first one?

Leila rolled her eyes. Jessie was disappointed her centurion did not believe her at all. That’s when Jessie noticed Reyna walking with her dogs following her like always. She called her. And a look at Leila right after, Jessie thought the centurion was going to kill her for doing that.

              “What’s up, Fleming?”

              “How much winning is important at the games versus the oldest participating in what they want?”

Reyna was taken by surprise. She looked like she was trying to understand what Jessie meant, or was simply thinking of the question?

              “Jessie, you are in probation. You know you will chose last. Now, would you stop? I heard you are a soccer player, I mean, I’ve never had before a recommendation letter from a National team coach, but the rules are the rules… It’s not that I don’t want you on that soccer team, it kills me to refuse that, and I’ve talked about it with the organizing committee. We decided not to bypass that rule. I cannot privilege a _probatio_. I am sorry.”

Jessie was disappointed, but it was the answer she thought she’d have. She never thought Reyna would want her on the team and was quite happy to know the Praetor was not stupid. But she too had to respect some rules.

Leila looked at the leader.

              “So it’s true she does Team Canada?”

              “U17. And she would have been called for U20 camp if she was not attacked by a monster last camp she had.”

Jessie grinned. She never got the chance to read the recommendation letter, it was written all that? Oh well…

Leila looked at the dogs the whole time. She thought Jessie or Reyna were lying, but the dog proved her wrong. Jessie wanted to laugh to her attitude. Defying the praetor? Yeah, Jill and her friends are funny, but they don’t replace my friends I have since years.

During the week, she took some time to call her dad. She had mixed feelings, and needed to talk about it to him.

              “I should be happy here, but I don’t feel like I am. I miss you. I miss my friends. And the friendship I’m making with some people is the only positive thing I have for now. I don’t like this place. I wish I could go back to London. Play soccer in a club, cause it’s the worst, not being able to have a team. And we have competition coming soon and I’m probably not going to be able to play because I am a newbie. We are only two people to play during free time! And that girl doesn’t have at all the same schedule than I, so I haven’t talked to her yet… I just miss my home… I even miss going to school! I hate fighting classes. And I preferred learning French than Latin! At least French is spoken by more than three hundred of people!”

She talked with him until Jason came in his office to tell her it was enough. She went in her bed, tears in her eyes. Why did she not like this place? Could she be happy like the two hundred legionnaire living at this camp?

The Friday finally came, and Jessie was a bit nervous. She thought it was stupid to feel this way, but she couldn’t help it. She knew outside of team sports that included a ball – those that probably flew away fast – were where she excelled, and Jessie was not that good at the rest, unless it was running.

Leila came to see her with the list. Jessie looked fast at the choices remaining: Swimming, Show Jumping, Track and Field, and Hockey. Jessie found it strange that hockey and curling were sports at the event, but didn’t question it. Wait… curling team was made? Oh well…

She chose track and field and hockey right away, she had experience in those. She was even surprised that the first one was still available. She thought it would be as fast as basketball, baseball and soccer to go away.

              “Actually, your third choice will be for another legionnaire. And she doesn’t want swimming, so I guess Show Jumping, unless you let her one of those you already checked. He centurion let her choose soccer twice for some reasons. So she reserved you a spot. You are lucky.”

Jessie almost jump of happiness, but something on Leila’s face did not look right.

              “You’ll only be reservist, unless the majority of the team votes you in. I’ll be the captain, so you’ll first need to impress me before I even ask the team.”

Oh, obviously. Jessie tied not to be too disappointed. She still had a chance. A tiny little chance, but still.

**“** The girl wished she could have gotten a better spot, but it was her spot or yours. She is only at second year, she couldn’t do better than that, and it would have been ridiculous she chose reservist spot for someone she didn’t know.”

Leila was right. Jessie wondered if it was the same girl that played soccer times to times. That girl Jessie couldn’t help but staring at… And now Jessie guessed she would be liable to her.

              “I hope she have ride a horse before.”

Training started the same day. Jessie looked at her foot. It was getting better. She thought another week of rest would be the best, but she was scared of running out of time.

She went to her usual routine. She met a doctor during the afternoon. Surprisingly, he gave his ok for her to play on it. What? She was very happy about it. She was clear to do any activities she wanted, as long as she was careful.

She went in direction of the field after diner. Like everyone was supposed to do. She almost ran . The less sportive legionnaire complained about not having War games. It was far from Jessie’s case. Last time, she was almost killed!

Jessie entered the locker room before everyone else, or at least that’s what she thought.

              “Hey Fleming, I can’t wait to play with you, this time! You can call me Mal. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a better spot, I hope the team will let you play. I mean, you’re talented, I’m sure you would have made the senior team, but we’re both trapped here now…

Mallory Pugh. Her USA rival was there. Jessie realised who she was, now that she could see her from near. She was the first cohort good soccer player. Jessie wished Mal was joking when she said they were trapped.

              “Hey probatio girl. Get back in the stands!” a legionnaire said while entering. “I can’t believe you’re stealing my best friend’s place!”

              “I don’t know him, but you know my reference was made by a National Team coach? Recruiters are fighting to have me on their university teams, everyone thinks I’ll make the senior team and go to the Olympics, one day. So I think it’s normal I play. Mallory is only at 2nd year so she’s probably here because of her talent, and we’re at the same level of soccer.”

Everyone that was in the room was shut down. She didn’t know if she had earned a bit of respect, but at least she had shown she was not letting them walk all over her.

She hurried out. She wanted to let the trash talkers in the locker room and directly went to the field. She needed to see how her foot was handling a few runs and touches with the ball. People could say whatever they wanted about her, but she didn’t want to hear it. She helped the _coach_ to place things on the field. She asked him a few questions about the sport, and realised she could be more qualifies to coach than him. His knowledge on soccer were quite basic. Great! A former legionnaire who probably never played soccer before! Just the way he was making passes at her, he was terrible. Jessie wondered how many teammates had played organised soccer.

The first player to join was Mallory. Not a surprise, she was also pissed at their _teammates_.

              “You didn’t have to defend me, you know,” she said as soon as Jessie was close enough to hear. “But thank you anyway. We should train together times to times. Because alone, it’s hard to get better. Have you gotten news from your family since you’re here?”

Jessie thought she asked the last question to be nice. But as soon as she finished her sentence, Mal looked unsure on whether it was safe territory or not.

              “Talked to my dad a few times. I called him the first night to tell him I had made it safe and sound. And yesterday, I wanted to know if he had any news from my Soccer Canada coaches.”

She didn’t know why she was telling all that, but for some reasons, she felt she could trust the first cohort legionnaire. After all, she was on this field because of her.

              “Even if your coach had called, I’d be surprised if the praetors let you go. I’ve tried to do U17 last year as I received a call, but they never let me,” Mal cut her. “I didn’t even got the chance to ask Reyna and Jason. My centurions are totally against everything. Bobby had a hard time convincing them to go at funerals… in New Rome! At least Leila looks nicer. Plus, she is on the team, she will be the first one to showcase your talent. And then go to Jason, he is usually nicer than Reyna.”

              “I know, she told me she’d make the team vote to let me play when if she is impressed. I hope you’ll get to play more than 10 minutes a game too.”

Reyna seemed stricter than Jason, it was not a lie. But at the same time, Reyna didn’t seem to hate having a soccer player in her ranks. Jessie saw both praetors equally. They decided everything together anyway. Jason looked friendlier, but was it just appearances?

She stopped talking when she saw teammates approaching. No way they’d hear Mallory and she wanted to be out of there.

Practicing felt great, even if Jessie could feel she was not 100 % back. Most passes from teammates were alright, but she had to ask Mallory to go softer.

              “I injured my foot last week, I don’t want to ruin it already! I’ll go my best next week. For now, I’m just trying to get back to it slowly. Have a few touches. I was surprised to be clear for today so…”

The rest of practice went very well. Leila was the best after Mallory and her. A good captain, she encouraged everyone. But clearly, some of the oldest were very bad, and Jessie knew Mallory would replace them by the time the competition would start. It was impossible to improve that fast in a matter of a few weeks.

Practice ended an hour later, and Jessie went to the baths to take a long shower. Then, talked a little with Jill, who had basketball that night. She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow of her bed.

The next morning, Jessie decided to talk to Mallory. Maybe she could explain what were the reasons why the centurions and praetors were so against people leaving temporarily, she was at the camp for two or three years, no? Did something in the history of the cam happened that made them fearing something? She also wanted to discuss about something her dad told her.

Jessie also wanted to ask the girl why she chose twice soccer. She was grateful about it, don’t get her wrong, but why a first cohort legionnaire would do that for someone she never played with? They were even rivals not so long ago! And letting someone choose randomly a sport… And why letting a chance to the new girl?

Reyna made her come back to reality.

              “You just got a call from a Mr. Andrew something. I don’t recall his last name. He said he talked to your dad, and you didn’t call back, so your dad gave our number. Your father wanted you to explain by yourself. You know you can’t talk about being a demigod, so what is it about?”

              “Canada U20 soccer coach, Praetor Reyna. He wants me on the team for a camp or a tournament. Dad told me last time I talked with him, but I didn’t know if I could ask, I’m still in probation… I was debating on whether or not I told Leila about it. But now you are here… as the decision will go to you and Jason if she accepts, would you?”

              “If you go to that camp, could you be attacked? Will you travel or stay at the same place? Will you get called back in some month for another camp? Cause I could _maybe_ let you this time if I have more details about your trip. But if you spend a quarter of the year away, no way.”

              “I am asking a month here. Not three. Or at least for now. We’ll see later for the rest? The camp and tournament is not in Canada nor USA, I haven’t talk to my coach yet. And I could be attacked, but isn’t it why we are trained for? Being able to be safe outside of boundaries?”

She saw the praetor hesitating. Jessie felt like Reyna wanted to say yes, but some other things made her not saying so.

              “Fleming… depending on where you are, you might not be able to play a game without being attacked. Or train with your team. Greece and Italia are places to avoid absolutely, but Europe in general is more dangerous. Ancient territory. When does the camp starts? Can you compete at the games? Don’t tell anyone, but I decided to let Pugh chose soccer twice because it was for you… and I hope the both of you with Leila Duggan can lead us to victory.”

              “Trainings camp starts the day after the closing ceremony. I could try going there a bit later than everyone else, if it doesn’t compromise my spot, or I miss the final game. It will depend if you and Jason let me go, and if Andrew doesn’t mind. If it’s too complicated for this one, can I go to the next one? I’d say I have something this time but…”

Reyna claimed she’d think about it. And talk with Jason, Josh and Leila. Josh was the one Jessie feared the most. He was absolutely going to say no. But maybe she was going to play, after all! And Jessie wanted to hang on to this little possibility.

              “I’m calling the meeting for this week, so you can call you coach fast,” Reyna said.

Jessie was surprised, and so happy she almost hugged the praetor. She went her way doing what she had been told, while Reyna went to the Principia to call the meeting.

Finding the right moment to talk to Mallory was hard for Jessie, but she was so excited she couldn’t wait. But when she was free, Mallory wasn’t, or Jessie didn’t have the guts to go. It took a about ten days for Jessie to have the perfect moment with her. Because she was never alone during soccer trainings. She started to blush as soon as the girl looked in her direction. On the field, words came easily to the Canadian, but when she needed to talk about anything else. One on one was more intimidating. Jessie didn’t get her herself. She was ok talking with the American, the first fay of training, but now was shy! She lost her confidence she had, and couldn’t explain.

Before she had the time to convince herself to go talk to Mallory, she heard a voice behind calling her.

              “Are you free today, at 4? I’d like to make some passes with someone who actually knows how to pass a ball foot to foot. And maybe practice shots? Or one on one?”

Jessie was blushing. She knew she would. On the field, it was normal, she blushed way too easily, but she was not moving right now. She was cleaning!

              “Uh, yeah, sure! But I have hockey training from 3 to 4:30. So half an hour after that? I miss playing a lot. It feels good to train again, but at the same time, it’s not comparable to the level I’m used to… Can you tell me one thing? Why letting me choose your third sport to let me have a reservist spot?”

Mallory laughed.

              “I would have been terrible in everything that was remaining on the list already. But it was a big chance for you. So I asked if I could. I was surprised when my centurions told me I could. I never told them to who I was doing this, I’m pretty sure they thought it was a fellow first cohort! And I thought you could be a solid player if you got the chance. I know where you come from. I heard about that Canadian Fleming. One day, you’ll play next to Christine Sinclair. Well, that’s what I thought until I saw you entering the camp. We are stuck here.”

If Jessie was not already red, now she definitely was. She was not used to be complimented that way. She was absolutely as red as the Canadian jersey. Damn! Why did Mallory made her blush this way? She was so nice... so cute…

              _Wait, what are you thinking right now?_ Jessie wondered. She froze of surprise. Since when she found girls cute?

Mallory looked at her with curiosity. Jessie had to say something.

              “Thank you for doing this. Is there anything I can do in exchange? And I wish I could go to the Olympics. Playing with Sincy would be an honor I’ll never have now.”

              “Seriously, you don’t need to do anything. It was my pleasure. Are you ok, you look tense?”

“Shit,” Jessie thought

              “I just thought of what I’ll say to the coach if he calls again. I forgot to tell you. He called, he invites me to a camp with U20 and tournament. Reyna knows about it and she’ll meet Jason and my centurions about it tomorrow.”

Mallory could hardly hide her excitement for her friend. But then she noticed time passing, and she had to go.

              “See you at 4:30!” she screamed, running away.

Jessie couldn’t help but staring at her. She looked at her hair kept in a ponytail, her muscles that had developed by the training. What was wrong with her? She decided to ignore the feeling she had. She was not having a crush on Mallory Pugh. No, she couldn’t, she tried to convince herself. She was Jessie Fleming. She couldn’t date her possible rival. Or could she? No, she was supposed to date men. Her mind was tricking her. They had to stay friend. And Mallory was probably not even gay.

She finished her chores while thinking about everything. Why her life was so complicated lately? Why was she doubting every little thing? Could she like girls? Could that feeling be it?

She suddenly feared the moment she’d join Mallory on the field. But she couldn’t pass on it. Competition was starting soon, Jessie still had to prove herself. More she played soccer, better it was. So she went to the Field of Mars.

              “Eh Mallory, I finished earlier! Penalty shots or one on one?”

              “One on one, I want to see you play tactically, I heard it’s your strength. And seriously, JFlem, call me Mal, for gods’ sake!”

So _Mal_ was calling her JFlem now? Ok…

Mal was a good player. It was obvious. The American was competitive. She was not letting the ball to Jessie. She had a good control, and Jessie knew she found the perfect training partner. But she knew that to get better, she needed a team. Otherwise, she’d never improve. Especially if she wanted to make Team Canada. She needed to play against teams. Maybe some student at University of New Rome would want to play with her?

She talked about it as she played with Mal. She noticed Leila looking at them. Jessie was hoping for the best. Maybe Leila was observing to decided if she made them play or not. Or maybe she wanted to tell Jessie the decision of the praetors. Jessie didn’t care at that point. She was having fun with the girl that was turning to her best friend. Jessie was not even that confident with her roommate Jillian. And Jessie didn’t want to ruin anything for now. She had to trust they’d make the best decision. She was not ready for disappointment right now, so she continued playing. Shooting at the improvised net. Laughing with her _rival_. She remembered why she liked that sport that much. She was happy, for now. _You’d be proud of me, dad._ Jessie wished she made her godly mother proud too. She must be watching, didn’t she? There was a reason her mother was Victoria. Jessie had to believe it.


	4. The biggest sport competition I’ll ever do, they say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Competition approches and Jessie wants to be a part of the soccer team. She needs to prove herself enough to have time on the field. Will they trust her enough? Will Mallory and her have their chance? Talking about Mal, the soccer players get an opportunity to get together more often...

Weeks passed and Jessie continued training the most she could. She helped building the stadiums. It was getting there quite fast. Jessie thought they could make it about a week before June 24th, so in some days. It was perfect.

She was taking every half an hour she could to go and play with the ball. But today, she had had a bit more free time before diner than usual. She sadly didn’t see Mallory on her way to the now built soccer field. People were still working on the seats around it, but the structure was done since a while, and the track around the soccer field was finished. Jessie didn’t see a problem testing out the field. She saw Frank Zhang, 5th cohort centurion, inside the building.

              “Can I be the one testing it, today? I have free time to train and I wanted to play soccer.”

              “We were about to get the goals installed, ready for tomorrow’s tests, but if you help us, you’ll get to shoot in it. Well, if it stays where it should.”

Jessie immediately asked where it was. The fastest it was in place, the more balls she could shoot. She needed that time. If she could finally have the ok from her centurions, as well as Reyna and Jason, it would be way too late to start practicing at that point. So she practiced more soccer than running and hockey. She was focused on her dream. At least, Reyna had told her lately that she’d give her the ok as soon as Josh finally said yes for the soccer camp. But her centurion ignored her as long as she was in probation. Jessie got it after a few days. She thought it started to be long, and the coach had called a few times to know if she was coming. She feared that if she even got the ok, it would be too late anyways.

The net was installed correctly in a matter of time. Frank told her,

              “We’ll leave you practice, we need to help out another team, at the pool. I just have to tell you, we will paint the lines tomorrow. If you could use another place… oh, I heard you had a call from the Canadian team. I hope they let you go. You represent our country well.”

_Our country?_ So Frank was Canadian? She shyly smiled and thanked him. More people were behind her, more she could convince Jason and Josh. That was up to them, now. She actually wished Frank was in her cohort instead of the fifth. Could she be an official legionnaire already?

She lost track of time soon enough. And when the call for the regroup before diner came, she started panicking. No way she made it in time! “Fuck”. She had to run, and fast. She left all the equipment she had taken off for her practice where they were, it was training night anyway and half the soccer team was practicing that night. Jessie was not in them, though, she had hockey.

She managed to run to the principia. She was just in time, the centurions were starting to call names. Her being a good runner had saved her. Leila and Josh were counting down legionnaires, and were near her name, now. Jessie was not surprised when she realised Josh had skipped her. When it was him who had her name in his list, half the time she was forgotten by the centurion. On purpose probably. Leila noticed too and rolled her eyes. The centurion was used to her colleague’s little game by now. _Not an official legionnaire._

It was now Leila’s turn to name the cohort by alphabetical order. Even if they were now in the H, she went back in her list.

              “Fleming, Jessie.”

              “Here,” Jessie answered. She was still breathing loudly from her run.

Jill looked at her with curiosity. Jessie could read her mind. She wanted to know where she was, to almost miss the counting. Jessie decided to mimic her playing with a ball at her feet, but she ended up looking more ridiculous than anything. And laughing from herself was something she needed to work on, definitively, so she turned bright red as a few legionnaire looked at her.

She followed the legion in the dining hall. Joked with friends. Mal joined at her table. She started hanging out with Jill, Lisa and Jessie more often lately.

After a good steak, it was training time. Like usually, barely no one went in the pools direction. Today, it was hockey in Jessie’s schedule. Turned out she was one of the best out there. Ok, there was also that teen that could barely skate. Most of the team was made of boys. Jessie didn’t care. She had played with girls growing up, being close enough to Toronto area to have girl’s teams, but she knew that in most places in Canada, girls of her age would play with boys most of the time, and either give up when they’d be around 14, or switch with girls and travel a lot more to practice. Jessie was in the number of those who gave up. But to focus on soccer.

It took her forever to fall asleep. She thought of Josh who couldn’t agree with her demand. Even Reyna agreed, what was his problem? It was just one camp. She didn’t ask that much right? Couldn’t be worse than someone wanting to see family and didn’t grow up in New Rome, uh?

She was pissed at the centurion. Why couldn’t he understand her dream? And for the few legionnaires that heard about her call on the national team, no one seemed to disagree with it. Camp rules could be stupid sometimes, and a lot of people knew it.

She didn’t remember falling asleep, so when the alarm rang, Jessie was very tired. The first thing she knew is that Leila was next to her bed.

              “Morning. I’d like to talk with you, can you come with me?”

Jessie was so sleepy she didn’t even think about why she wanted to meet her. She didn’t remember doing something wrong, so she guessed it was good news. Maybe Josh finally gave her the ok?

              “Reyna wanted me to ask you something. People might talk that a probatio has that task, so can you please keep it for yourself for now? She wanted me to have it, but with the centurion tasks and being captain of the soccer team takes most of the time I would have had for it.”

Leila was talking way too fast for Jessie’s sleepy brain.

              “What? What do I have to do? When?”

              “For the competition. Reyna wants you to coach the youth team. I know your given task was to give the medals, but seriously everyone can pass a medal around people’s necks. Coaching a kid’s team needs a minimum of soccer knowledge, and both of you are the most experimented. Are you interested? It would be an hour a week until school ends, and then an hour per day.”

So basically, a meeting before school ended, and then regular training sessions? Jessie was up to the challenge. It would be nice to show a bit of what she knew, and hopefully seeing a lot of smiles. She wondered what age the group of children was. She was not a big kid person, so she hoped it was not a bunch of six years old that would just all follow the ball.

Leila mentioned _Mallory Pugh_ would be the other coach. Of course, they would coach together. Jessie thought it would be fun, they got along well. She just hoped it wouldn’t make her more shy. The last thing she wanted was to turn red in front of all those kids, they would totally notice and make fun of her. She couldn’t hide to herself that Mal was totally her crush. She had to face it. She noticed her way more than any other legionnaire. Turned red for almost nothing when she was around. Felt happier as soon as she said something nice to her… The thing is that she still had no idea if Mal liked girls or boys.

Jessie left Leila with a big smile on her face. Coaching meant having a few more touches with the ball. But at the same time, that opportunity stressed her a little. What if the kids are mean or hates her? Or campers gets jealous of her task. She was still not an official legionnaire, and she gets all the attention of the praetors.

She followed Jill to eat a good breakfast. Suddenly, someone tapped on her shoulder, making her scream of surprise. It didn’t take more for Jill and Lisa to burst out laughing.

              “Relax, Canada. It’s just me,” a voice behind said. Jessie recognized it as she turned her head to find her new _colleague_.

              “Can you announce your presence before touching me? I almost sent my cereals flying on Lisa!”

Mal apologised. Asked if she talked to her centurions, with quite a smile on her face. She knew too.

              “I’m surprised we got that task, and I just hope people won’t talk in my back. But I’m very excited about it. Can the kids be out of school already?” Jessie said with the biggest smile. Mal sound as happy about it.

              “We should go in the town to meet the kids after school and see how they play. And we also should meet to figure out a training plan. We have what, about 10 practices with them?”

Jessie counted, and nodded. It was about it. And her crush was right. They couldn’t tell the kids what to do on the spot. They had to prepare the training. See what to focus on. Watching them during phys. ed. class or after school soccer would be a good strategy. It would take half an hour. And it was so rare Jessie went in town, it would just feel great.

Jessie went to her usual daily activities, with the rest of her cohort. Then, in the afternoon, she saw a girl that shared the same barrack than Mal.

              “Do you now when Mal is available. I’d need to talk with her. We’ll share a task for the Games, and I want to have a plan on how we’ll proceed, there’s quite a lot of preparation.”

              “Mallory is at the Latin class, I believe. I think it’s about to end.”

Jessie ran to the place the theorical classes were held.

              “Hey, Flem! What are you doing here?”

              “It thought of something to start with for the kids, and I made a call at the school. The phys. ed. coach would be open for us to go at 4. He’d regroup the students who are interested in playing soccer and we could watch them a little and start to coach them as soon as today.”

Starting the next day, campers have more free time in their schedule to train or prepare the games. Jessie thought the girls could meet in the next few days to prepare their training plan.

Jessie gave Mal the choice to go with her to the school, if she was free, or letting Jessie lead the next week’s training hour.

              “I have another class. What did you have today, that you had the time to think about a training plan?”

              “Engineering, but it was something I already saw in a book from when I was injured and spent a week reading and studying stuff. And you know, I tried helping a lot in building the facilities, so I already knew the subject of today’s class.”

Jessie was very interested in that type of things, but she felt like she could be upgraded in another level soon. She started to wonder if she could major in engineering at university. She just hoped she could take some advance classes or learn a few new things the first two years, otherwise she’d be bored so fast. But would have time to practice soccer instead of studying and still gets quite good games.

Mal looked at the clock. Jessie realised she had fighting class in about ten minutes. At the complete opposite end of the camp! She started running. She almost forgot to bring her sword.

At 3:30, she left her Latin class and went directly to the city. She took her ID out before she got in the city limits. She was quickly stopped by Terminus at the protected limits of the city. The god asked her why she went in town.

              “I visit the school. I’m coaching the youth soccer team, you’ll see me quite often in the future.”

She was happy to show up about twenty minutes early in New Rome, because she searched the school for about ten minutes. She entered by what looked to be the main door and asked the first adult where the gymnasium was. She followed the man until she saw a bunch of kids running to the locker room.

              “The man there is the phys. ed. teacher. He is the one who ask to have coaches for the kids. You know, he cannot coach kids in every sports, so he kept his favorite. You are coaching?”

              “Soccer. Another camper is helping me, but she had something to do she couldn’t postpone. We only have free time starting later this week to prepare competitions.”

She walked by the teacher and introduced herself. The man did not look impressed by her.

              “So the centurions decided to bring a woman coach? Tell me the other one is a man at least!”

Jessie was insulted. They had decided she was the most experience soccer player and trusted her with kids for some reasons Jessie couldn’t figure out. She had never been seen with kids at camp.

              “I might still be a teen, but I’ve played soccer since forever and am captain of Canada’s U17 squad. Mallory is playing with US U17 as well.”

The man didn’t say anything and showed her where he kept the soccer nets, oranges cones, etc. Jessie took a few things, and that’s when she noticed the man froze. He was looking both her wrist.

              “You are not a member of the legion?”

She should have known.

              “I am in probation, I am not in the legion since very long, a few months or so. My father always hidden to me who my mom is. But I’ll let you know that my mother is Victoria, so I am very looking forward to win the maximum games I can with the kids.”

Talking about children, they started sitting in the gymnasium bench, waiting for her. So she just left the teacher there. There was nothing else to say. She hoped the kids were not as picky about her being a _probatio._

They didn’t ask questions about her ranking in the legion. They wanted to know if she played, and that was all that mattered to them. She told them a little about Canada’s camp she did. They all listened to her before playing a bit of soccer. She didn’t want anyone to start with a specific position but asked if people were interested in being goalkeeper.

She watched them playing and realised some were probably better at certain positions. She did a little draft of what the team could look like. But she was very open to changes. There were a bit more than ten kids, and seven would start. It would be 40-minutes game. She had to make sure everyone had a role and agreed with it. At least, the kids that were in the gymnasium that day seemed to have played soccer before. Some were better than others, but she didn’t have beginners. The only thing was that most of them were always running after the ball and didn’t play any strategy. That was one of the thing she wanted them to focus on.

She wrote some stuff she thought about working on in the following weeks, and a few notes for her “colleague” Mal. She was about to leave school after putting the equipment back into its place when she noticed a familiar face at the corner of the street. She approached the girl. She was wearing a USA t-shirt Jessie found quite cute. She was never going to tell Mal that, though, she was a proud Canadian after all!

              “I came as early as I could, but I guess you finished about ten minutes ago, uh?”

Mal looked disappointed. Jessie made a sorry smile to her crush.

              “I took plenty of notes for you. Wanna hang out at the café and I tell you what I saw and what I think we could focus on?”

The American made a big smile. Jessie knew there was a café in town who had the reputation of making very good hot chocolate, but she had no clue where. She rarely went in town, and when she came, it was to pick up her birth control pills as well as period products, and then she was back at camp. Hanging out with friends was secondary when you want to train and practice the more soccer you can.

Mal guided her to the café with a little laugh.

              “You invite me to somewhere you never been?”

Didn’t take more for the Ontarian to turn bright red. Why Mallory Pugh always made her feel that way?

They sat at a table somewhere quiet. Jessie ordered a hot chocolate with curiosity. Was it as good as people claimed it was? She took out her notes from her bag and showed it to the girl. They talked about their training strategy, planned their first official training, etc.

They ended up staying there more than an hour. Talking about school, things from the outside they missed. Their mortal friends. Family. Soccer camp. Tournaments they did. Good memories, bad memories. Time flew by like minutes. But then, Mal looked at the time.

              “Shit! We’re late for the call. They’re probably already eating! We have to run!”

Jessie panicked. Yesterday, she had made it just in time. This time, she was screwed. They had to walk across the entire town of New Rome, crossing Terminus, running to the camp, and try entering to the dinner hall without being too much in trouble. Jessie already feared her punishment.

They tried running in town, but there was people everywhere. Jessie swore as she noticed the time. Diner would be almost over when they got there. Mallory looked as panicked than her.

Terminus stopped them like Jessie expected, but she wished he didn’t take his time.

              “We are late. I’m Jessie Fleming, she’s Mal Pugh, now we have to go, do you really need to take more of our time?”

              “Your call was made half an hour ago, and that’s now you show up? Your excuse?”

              “Stopped in a café to discuss about soccer training and we totally lost track of time. Can we go now?” Mal explained. Jessie had never seen her friend talk that fast.

Finally, the god let them go. Thanks gods! They were exhausted when they arrived by the dining hall. When Jessie turned the corner leading to the building, she swore.

              “Jason is waiting for us.”

Or some unknown reasons, the only thing she thought was that he’d never accept her leaving for a soccer camp right after the competition. The decision had been postponed until Jessie was an official member of the legion, thanks to Josh. At least, Jessie had called her coach. She thought when she called him to tell him her mother was unsure of letting her, that he’d say he calls someone else, but he let her more time and told her he really wanted _her_. But with her being late to diner, she could give up on her very little hopes. Josh would never forgive her, and completely refuse to let her leave.

              “Can you explain yourselves, ladies?” the praetor said, armed crossed.

They retold the exact same thing they said to Terminus. Jessie was shaking.

              “You’re expected to meet Reyna, your centurion and I instead of training tonight.”

They looked at each other’s. Mal was breathing loudly. They joined the rest of the group inside, head down. Jessie didn’t even want to cross the look of anyone. Especially not a centurion. She sat with her friends. They didn’t ask questions, thankfully.

Jessie ordered something she could eat cold. No way she is late again because her food never showed up! She ate as fast as she could. When everybody left, Mal and her went to the principia.

              “So you were late cause you lost track of the time talking about training kids and soccer and the competition coming soon?” Reyna asked, looking at Jason to be sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.

Mal answered while Jessie just nodded, turning bright red.

Josh looked directly at Jessie. He looked pissed.

              “You are not near seeing a tattoo on your wrist, let me tell you! You’re really disappointing me, Fleming.”

Jessie was mad at herself, and disappointed. She was given the chance to coach, and immediately screwed up.

              “Wait a minute, Josh. Let them explain in detail, and even if I want them to understand we don’t tolerate being late, this will not prevent Jessie to have a legionnaire status in the following weeks if she does something good enough for it.”

It was Jason. She didn’t expect any praetor to take her side. Reyna seemed to agree more with her colleague than Jessie’s centurion.

              “That said, you will have a punishment. No playing soccer for both of you tomorrow. And you’re going to clean the stables as soon as you step out of here. We need them to be shining for the pegasi coming in about a week or so. Camp Half-Blood have quite a few, and they will compete in show jumping, or who can run three laps in the shortest time, which I expect Hazel to win easily on Arion. I wonder how high we will put the obstacles…” Reyna completed, while Leila protested a bit on missing two of her best player, like any good captain, but suddenly bad centurion.

Reyna had a nostalgic look. Jessie wondered if she ever owned one. She knew that she sometimes tried approaching Hazel’s wild horse, clearly, she loved them.

Leila suddenly stopped talking about soccer and asked,

              “Do we have anyone subscribed for our camp in Show jumping? Do we have at least one of them now?”

              “My sister promised me to come with a new pegasi when she steps in. She showed me pictures and he looks a bit like Skippy…”

“Considering she is considered rival for two weeks, I wonder how the horse is! Are you sure it is a good idea to take a pegasi owned by the Amazons? Won’t they try to beat us?” Michael, one of Mal’s centurion, said, concerned.

Jessie found it odd that Reyna’s sister would give her an animal to compete when she, herself, is part of the competition as a rival. Either the sister knew Reyna loved horses, or she wanted to screw the competition. At least, Jessie got her answer, Reyna owned one called Skippy. Just her look when she named the animal, Jessie knew how much the praetor must have loved him. She hoped her sister wanted Reyna happy and not anything else.

The conversation was not going anywhere expected, so Jessie asked if she could leave to clean. The fastest it was done, the fastest she could join in her hockey or track practice. She didn’t know which one she had first. At least, there was just one last day the kids had school before Mal and her could train them every day. They had seven meetings to make a relatively good team.

They took the conversation where it had stopped in the café, while cleaning. Jessie wished she was anywhere else doing anything else with her friend, but she didn’t have much choice. They had gotten closer to each other lately. But she was still feeling a bit intimidated by Mal. Jessie couldn’t explain. It was probably because it was her crush and she was always scared to screw things up. Saying something that would totally admit it, or saying something that would completely make her lose their good relationship.

              “I never asked you, and you never mentioned anything so I don’t know if I should, but have you ever been in a relationship with anyone?” Mal asked, a bit hesitant.

Jessie shyly smiled. She had had a boyfriend. Back in London. But things were now over, and here she was having a crush on a girl. Mallory. What was she supposed to answer? _She_ was her crush! If she mentioned girls, she’d ask questions, but at the same time, what if she shuts her mouth and Mallory Pugh is bi or gay?

She took too much time before answering.

              “I shouldn’t ask, right? Is it that… never mind.”

Jessie wondered what Mal was about to say.

              “No, it’s ok. I had a boyfriend before coming here. Let’s say that it ended when I didn’t give any news during months. When I got here and talked to my dad, he told me he called at some point to break up. And I don’t really care. Things were about to end anyway. What about you?”

She decided to skip the crush part and just asked back the question.

              “I’ve had one or two crushes on some girls, but they ended up being all straight.”

Jessie was taken by surprised. Mal was gay? Mal’s face changed a bit with Jessie’s reaction. She suddenly looked scared and hesitant. Jessie immediately changed her expressions.

              “Don’t worry, I don’t mind at all about you liking girls. I just didn’t know and was a bit taken by surprised. But I’m totally fine with it. I…”

The girl’s smile came back on her face. Jessie didn’t know if she should tell her about her maybe being bi or something like that. But her feelings were recent, and she was scared the girl would ask more questions.

Mal didn’t say anything else, even if Jessie was obvious about talking about something else. But she was hesitant and Mal got it. Do not ask more questions. Jessie shyly smiled. She was sure she was bright red. She hoped she wasn’t too obvious about everything.

She finished cleaning and went in direction of the stadium. She had track and field training. She hadn’t done much physical training that day, except that run from earlier, so it was a good thing she didn’t miss all training.

The following days went well. Not playing with a ball for a day sucked a bit, but at the same time, the next day she had practice _and_ coaching, so she had things to look forward. Kids were great, and were already showing some improvement. For the team she was playing on, it was getting better and better, people’s role was figured out. Jessie had finally won her place on the team, and only one person hadn’t vote her in! The same was for Mal about being a starter or subs in. Jessie was very grateful to be able to play, and even be on the starting eleven. Now the only thing she was looking forward was to start the competition and finally doing something impressive enough to gain an official status.

Canada’s U20 coach had called about three days before the start of the competition.

              “I know you might not be able to come, but I named you on the roster still. If you can’t come, we’ll announce you have a minor injury or something and call another girl. But I’d like to see you again. I know I’m giving you a lot of chances, but I dreamed an unknown woman told me to do it and I don’t know why but I think it’s a sign. And I know if you come that you’ll be a day late, but it’s ok.”

Jessie wondered if the woman he saw in his dream could be a god – her mom by example – trying to send the message to not give up on her. It made her smile. Someone out there wanted her to go to that camp no matter what, and it gave Jessie some energy to do her best during the tournament.

She spent a lot of time training and coaching, but one of the things she liked the most that week was the time she spent with Mal. Jessie felt great when she could be just with her, talking. Mal understood her feelings about the legion blocking her dreams more than anyone, and Jessie could take out her frustration a bit with her. At the same time, she didn’t want to be too moody with her, because she knew that she might have a chance with her. After all, she was clear about being gay! Jessie just didn’t know yet how to let Mal know that she was not that straight like she kind of said…

Jessie’s alarm went off early the day of the opening ceremony. The soccer team had a practice at six. When Jessie went out of the bathroom, she noticed a Mallory Pugh waiting at the door for her. She hadn’t knock only because there was nine people still sleeping.

Jessie rushed out. She didn’t want her friend to wait after her.

              “Hey, you’re early? I like what you’re wearing. It enhances your eyes.”

Mal smiled at Jessie’s comment. “Yes,” Jessie thought. She wanted to start subtle and tell her something to make her smile, and it worked. And she didn’t lie, the t-shirt she wore was really showing off her face.

They ate together, their sport bag at their feet to go directly to the stadium after. Jessie was happy with how the facilities turned out. The camp expected their visitors during the day. Apparently, the hunters were going to show up first, quite early. They had slept near the camp. Jason and Reyna were the ones to welcome everyone. Then, the amazons were coming around 10 AM, and at last Camp Half-Blood, around noon.

The opening ceremony was at 7 PM, so everyone had time to settle in town. The city had built dorms to accommodate the visitors. That was one of the thing that was absolutely not going to be destructed after the Games: with Greek demigods coming more and more to the University of New Rome, the dorms were needed. Jessie wished the sport facilities had the same purpose, but she was not certain.

It wasn’t clear if the Games would come back, be every year or four years like mortal Olympics. At first, they wanted it every year, but Camp Jupiter spent months preparing the competition along some Half-Blood campers instead of doing the usual demigod fighting skills and monster learning, etc. And more than two third of the campers from the Greek camp arrived there at the end of June or beginning of July, which basically gave them no time to make teams and practice sports. Hunters spend time in the wood travelling to hunt and survive to different things, they had not time to train (and that’s a reason why most of them were competing in Archery and just that), and the Amazons had their company. Once every four years would give everyone more time.

Mid practice, Jessie heard from far more noise than usual. Hunters, probably. She wasn’t wrong, after her shower, she left the stadium to find out a bunch of teenage girls had they tent everywhere on Mars’ Field. Not living in town, definitely, those hunters!

Jessie looked at her schedule to find out what was her next tasks and classes. She coached two hours before Opening ceremony. It didn’t give her much time to prepare and make herself pretty… She grinned. She knew they had camp uniforms for the ceremony and she was happy about it, otherwise she had not clue what to wear.

The day went by way too fast. Jessie saw the different groups enter the camp to go in the city. She knew the praetors and centurions were supposed to make them visit the city. When she arrived with the kids for the last pretournament practice, there were Amazons on the soccer field, as well as some Half-Blood campers using the track to train the relay. Mal went to see the Amazons with more social kid on the team. Jessie asked the other ones to help her getting the net in place and placing the cones. She had a look on a Half-Blood camper running. If she was in the same categories than Jessie, it could be her biggest rival.

              “Laurel, I think there is people using the field, you should avoid walking on the green grass.”

              “Holly, you don’t need to tell me what to do. Now try to beat my time!”

              “You know that I’m better than you.”

The girls seemed to be about to argue. Jessie looked at them. They looked sisters. Twins maybe. She wondered who was their parent, because they seemed to have quite character.

Another Half-Blood camper passed next to Jessie.

              “They’re Nike’s daughter, and winning is their only options. Those two are very competitive between them. You’d think twins can get along well, but those two… they were made both counsellor so they compete together instead of killing each other…”

Jessie looked at the boy next to her. Nike. Was it that one that was Victoria, or another goddess?

              “Is it Victoria in Greek mythology, Nike? I am not sure, I’m not good at it,” Jessie said.

She got a nod. Oh great. They were her Greek sisters.

              “Well, at least some Nike’s daughters are nice to hang with,” A voice said, behind her. It was Mal for sure. Jessie recognized her voice.

              “Aww, you’re cute, you! Do we start practicing the… oh they’re already running! Thank!” Jessie said after looking at her young team running around the field, ball at their feet.

 The boy smiled. He probably got that Jessie was a daughter of Nike/Victoria. Or thought Jessie and Mal were together? Jessie wasn’t so sure about the meaning of the smile.

She and Mal left the boy there and regrouped their team to officially start things off. They separated the group in two.

              “Joey, Logan, can you go in net, we will practice corners.”

The boys went as told while the rest of the team placed themselves around. They all looked at Mal and Jessie, like if they didn’t know if they should go to the corner or not.

              “Elora, you will start for the corner. I want Miika and Parker to be next. For the rest of team yellow, try to redirect the ball by the net. Purple, try sending the ball away. If the ball crossed the half of the field or enter the net, we’ll exchange roles,” Mal asked.

Miika was a demigod that had arrived less than three weeks earlier at camp. She had no family in town, so she was directly sent into the legion as a _probatio_ , in the third cohort. She was a 9-year-old Finnish girl and basically spoke no English at all. She was included in the youth team logically, and also to give her a chance to make some friends too. Learn English. She was good in sports in general, and had chosen soccer and hockey, Jessie recalled. She had seen her in the arena one night, with hockey pads too big for her. Elora, 10 years old, had the same kind of profile, and was in the first cohort in the last two years. She had gotten there around the same time than Mal, and they were in the same cohort, so Elora was attached to her a lot. Enough that Jessie could see that sometimes Mal needed air during practice. Mal asked her to do corners because she was good at directing a ball to teammates, not because of favoritism. Parker was good at directing and finishing. Jackson, Ty and Kenzie were good defenders. Everyone roles were settled now, except some special roles, like corners, penalty shots. That was today’s plan.

After some drills, Jessie and Mal ended up the practice. Camp Half-Blood wanted to have the field for different sports that were held there. Jessie couldn’t blame them, they wanted to test it, see how it felt. Playing on natural grass or synthetic field was not the same.

              “Where do we put away the stuff?” a camper asked. She wore the same Camp Half-Blood orange t-shirt, with short jeans. She had brown hair with green eyes. “We will play soccer a bit too.”

Jessie pointed out and left with Mal and the kids, when they were changed.

              “I don’t know what I should do with my hair for tonight. I don’t feel like the usual ponytail but…” Jessie confided to her friend on their way to the city. They were always escorting the kids up to Terminus.

              “I’ll come help you out, no worries!”

Jessie had the time to change in the outfit created by a designer in New Rome before Mal came in.

              “What is she doing here?” a roommate of Jessie asked.

              “Helping me out with my hair. Do you mind Dakota? Do you know how to do girls’ hair?” she asked the boy, a bit defiant. He had Kool-Aid in his hands, like usual. It was a drug to him.

He didn’t say anything and let the first cohort legionnaire enter.

Mal took out a flat iron and started playing with Jessie’s hair. Jessie didn’t face a mirror, and after a while, was very curious on what her crush was doing to her.

              “I want to look pretty, but not too different than usual, ok?”

              “You’re always pretty, Jessie. Stop thinking otherwise. Your ex was lucky to have you, you are really a good girl.”

Jessie didn’t know how to take it. Knowing Mal was gay, she didn’t know what that comment meant. Was Mal Pugh jealous of Jessie’s ex boyfriend? Her heart started beating fast and she blushed. She was pretty. _Mal_ thought she was pretty. And nice. But she knew that one already.

              “I’m not as cute as you. You don’t turn red after playing five minutes of soccer. You tan before burning in the sun. You have a beautiful face…”

Jessie was probably as red as she were that morning on the field.

              “Jessie Fleming! Stop now. You’re cute, you’re just too blind to see it. Now look in the mirror, will you?”

The result was nice. Mal had curl the bottom of Jessie’s brown hair. She was now looking into her stuff. _Please, don’t take out makeup_ , Jessie thought.

              “Don’t look at me like that. I know you’re not a makeup girl. I’m just going to put some mascara. You won’t look like a barbie, I promise.”

Jill looked at them.

              “You are beautiful like that. It’s weird to see your hair curled, but it is nice. Good job Mallory. And Jessie, please stop complaining, she’s right.”

Jessie shrugged. She didn’t want to attract the attention of more legionnaires. She was already scared Mal did too much with her hair.

Talking about Mal Pugh, she had disappeared in the bathroom with her flat iron. And came back with beautiful hair too. The outfit fit her more than to Jessie and Jill.

              “Wow. That colour really fits you well. You should wear it more often.”

Jessie said that without even thinking, because she had to retain herself from telling her she was sexy. But that was all the Canadian had in mind when she saw her crush. Jessie was very red now, she could feel it. She had to look away, because all she wanted was to tell Mal how she felt. But there was like five other people around. And none knew she was bi. And probably had no clue Mallory Pugh was gay.

Jessie went to the bathroom to relax a little. She hated how Mal made her feel that way. But the girl knocked at the door.

              “I forgot something, can I enter?”

Since Jessie wasn’t using the toilet, she opened the door. Mal closed behind her. And didn’t look for anything. She just stands there. Uh?

              “You find me cute, or it’s just that you don’t consider yourself pretty so I am cute for that reason? You are blushing since like, an hour. And I don’t count how many times you did when I’m around. Lisa and Jill told me no one makes you blush normally.”

_Fuck,_ Jessie thought. _Jill and Lisa noticed!_ She looked down. How to admit to Mal how she felt?

              “I kind of forgot to tell you something the other day. I might have had a boyfriend, but I rarely talked about him because… well, I am not exactly straight. I thought I was. But then… I met you and I started doubting everything.”

Jessie looked up to see her reaction. Mal was blushing too, now. Made a little smile, but it fade quite soon.

              “If you want time to figure things out, I can let you. I just… if you are straight, I just hope it won’t ruin our friendship.”

Jessie immediately took her arm like if she wanted to retain her. _Don’t give me time. I don’t need it. I love you,_ Jessie thought. But she couldn’t find the words to express it. Her lips were moving, but no sound went out. She just looked directly at Mal. Shyly smiled. And approached her to put her lips softly on hers.

              “No need to give me time. I know I love you. I figured this thing out. It’s not very clear how I identify, but I know that I love you, Mallory Pugh, and that’s all that matters for now. Thank you for making me feel pretty. And loved.”

Mal took her hand. “Well, Jessie Fleming, would you go to the ceremony with me? I think we’ll be late if we stay here… and the girls will wonder what we’re doing…”

Jessie realised what time it was and nodded. “Do you mind not telling people yet. I never talked about sexual orientation with anyone and I don’t know how people will react…”

She nodded. Let her hand. Opened the door. They left the bathroom one after the other. Mal said she finally found what she was looking for. And the group of four exited the room in direction of the stadium where every camp was supposed to regroup. Camp Jupiter was the last to enter. Jessie wished the entrance of athletes was before the show and not after.

They waited about half an hour before Reyna and Jason ordered to walk, followed by the ten centurions, and then the rest of the two hundred legionnaires. Jessie had seen the stadium more than fifty times since it’s construction but seeing it full of people screaming at the entrance of the camp, with lights in their hand, and a band playing on a stage was breathtaking.

There were a few speeches, with one being by a Half-Blood former counsellor who was now studying in New Rome. He presented the first cellphone that uses technology that didn’t attract monsters. He explained that everyone had one in the senior competition, and an _Ipod_ kind of thing for the junior category. It was going to be useful for competition schedule and calling other demigods. But no mortal. Apps were developed to look like mortals, but without being compatible. _So I can’t text teammates and friends or call dad,_ Jessie thought. _I still can’t go on my Facebook to have news of my friends._ It was still a beginning. She didn’t have to search the whole camp when she wanted to talk to someone!

It was dark enough that she thought about taking Mal’s hand in hers, but she was scared someone would notice. She didn’t want rumours to start in the camp already. She wanted to be able to live her relationship with her first, then tell people. But the smile the American gave her when she looked at her made it hard to resist. Jessie hoped Mal would respect her limits.

The show was great. Lots of lights. Some musical performance. It ended by spectacular fireworks. Jessie had never seen such thing. It was animated. She had seen heart fireworks, letters put one after the other to form small words, but an entire scene representing people running, throwing an object and everything? Wow! Hephaestus children had given their all!

When they left the stadium, the had to go out by cohort. Each person had its own cellphone and they had to be given to the right person, because schedules were already in it, as well as contacts from the whole camps. _Wait, everyone already has my number?_ Jessie thought. _Ugh._ She didn’t want that anybody could contact her… Her team, her cohort, friends, ok, but… she felt a bit like her intimacy was gone.

It took forever for her barrack to close the lights. Everyone was exploring their phone, texting, etc. Leila and Josh both came in to discipline the legionnaires. Jessie was one of the first to set an alarm and try to sleep. It was quite simple, the first app she visited was the calendar. Track and field events started at 7 the next morning, and Jessie had qualifications for 400 meters hurdles at 8 AM, junior soccer game at noon, and the 1500 meters at 3 PM. She almost didn’t see she had a hockey game at 7 PM. The next morning, she had the relay, and soccer in the afternoon. The list continued the same way for the ten days. After day 5, track and field events were depending on her performances and qualifications.

              “Can you please go to bed. Competition starts tomorrow quite early and I’d like to sleep! Now I get why they said most of the apps were only going to be available after the competitions!” Jessie said after fifteen minutes of trying to sleep without much success. The lights were totally disturbing her. And even when they turned the barrack lights off, the lights coming from the phones were not helping.

Jessie woke up about two minutes before her alarm. She quickly noticed she was one of the first competing in the barrack. Everyone complained when they heard her alarm.

              “It’s 6 AM, Jessie! What are you doing that early?”

              “My competition starts in two hours, sorry if I need to be ready to run the fastest I can.”

In what world were they living? It was not the time to sleep in! It was a beautiful Friday morning, the sun was showing in the middle of a couple of clouds, and it was not too hot yet. Not a bad day to start an Olympic competition.

About an hour later, she entered the stadium. She had no clue who she competed against, except another legionnaire she was teammate with for the relay. She expected to see one of her Greek stepsisters. There was three people by camp for the 1500 meters, normally. And obviously, it was separated by gender for track and field events. Not team sports, though. But Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter needed the same proportion of girls. For the hunters and Amazons, it was all-girls groups, so the question was not even there.

She saw one of the twins for the high jump competition that was held at that moment. So she was probably not competing against this one today, or if so, it was going to be easier to beat her. The other twin passed next to Jessie.

              “1500 meters?”

Jessie nod. Her sister was not even worth a smile. She seemed to be a bad loser. And Jessie wanted to give her energy running, not talking to a “rival”.

              “Get ready to be beaten, loser.”

Jessie couldn’t believe. The girl didn’t even know her! She probably tried to scare her or something. Jessie was not going to fall in this.

Jessie went on unused soccer field to warm up. She was ready for the day. She wanted to qualify. She didn’t care if she didn’t end up first this time. Half people competing against her would go to the final round. She knew that competing in both hockey and soccer would be demanding, so she wanted to keep the energy to finish first for the finals. For now, her goal was set on qualifying. That Holly – or was it Laurel – could win today if she wanted to!

They called the 1500 meters competition. Jessie walked by the start line. There was a ton of people from the city, and a lot of Greeks campers, a ton of Amazons screaming, a couple of Diana’s hunters, and quite a ton of empty seats. The stadium had a lot of seats, and Jessie didn’t expect them to be filled except during athletics finals and soccer final.

Her run went great. She ended second. Because she didn’t want to waste energy to compete with Laurel Victor. Right after her was a legionnaire who competed with her for the relay. That looked promising.

After her qualification for the 1500 m, she left the stadium to go relax in a café. She texted Mal to know what she was doing, but got no answer. She was surprised when she saw a face she felt she’s seen before. Blond hair in a braid on the side, about the same size than her. She had a big smile, while talking to a red hair girl and another blondie. It took a few seconds to Jessie to replace where she had seen the first girl.

It was during the camp where she discovered she was a demigod by being attacked in the hotel. The blond girl was her roommate back then, in January. Ann-Sophie Flowers, she recalled. She approached the girls. Ann-Sophie looked at her coming. Jessie knew she’d recognize her.

              “Jessie Fleming? What… you are a roman demigod? Nice!” the girl said, after a quick look at Jessie’s Camp Jupiter purple t-shirt.

              “Yeah, I found out at the camp we met. That’s how I ended up at the hospital. Not a gun shot.”

Ann-Sophie nodded, and decided to tell her,

              “I was not chosen for the CONCACAF in about a month, I’m hoping on be called for November camp, what about you?”

              “I am currently fighting to be able to go in two weeks. I want to be called back for centralisation with John Herdman. If I don’t go to a U20, how am I supposed to get to the senior team? If they let me… I need to be an official legionnaire to go to the one in less than two weeks. Coach Priestman told me my mother is whispering to the coach to still let me go even if I can’t give an answer yet. But I don’t know if I’ll be able to go to a lot of camp in the future… I didn’t tell all my plans about soccer to anyone around, so let’s change subject before someone hears. You are competing in soccer and what?”

The red hair girl cut her.

              “John Herdman is? I’m Émilie, by the way. One of Ann-So’s best friends. I’m a swimmer for Québec province and hopefully Canada soon.”

              “Soccer Canada women’s senior team head coach. I went to a camp just before the U17 where I met Ann-Sophie. I hope me being here don’t screw my dreams. Your camp is more open?”

              “Yeah, I think so. If we stay during the school year, it’s because we want to or have nowhere else to live. But Chiron let Kayla go to an Archery competition before I came in camp,” the other blond girl said. “I’m Mélodie, Apollo’s daughter. Basketball is my favorite thing. I also do archery, like my siblings.”

Jessie nodded. They were lucky. Ann-Sophie could be on the senior team before her if things here didn’t change. She was not a jealous type of person, but it hurt thinking about it. So she asked the girls what were their favorite activity at camp.

              “Free time to go swim in the pool or sea,” Émilie replied. “We have a pool filled with salt water instead of chlorine at our cabin, thanks to dad.”

They all answered sport related stuff. Jessie was not surprised. She had a little smile on her face. She was totally talking with a rival, but she didn’t care. Those girls seemed very nice compared to those twins…

Jessie learned a few things about the girls. Ann-Sophie got lucky to play soccer, she was threatened not to play because of recent bad behavior. Jessie told her how she got her place. They both had done it last minute. Ann-Sophie didn’t want to tell her all the stuff that had happened, wanting to keep it for camps with Canada, or maybe she just didn’t want to talk. Jessie wasn’t the one asking for details, but the blond and red-hair girls were almost trying to push their friends. Jessie found it a bit weird.

Mal finally replied she was on her way to a competition and Jessie decided she wanted to go see. She told the girls she had to go.

              “You are going to watch your boyfriend or a crush play?” the red hair, Émilie if Jessie recalled correctly, said.

Jessie immediately questioned.

              “Your smile when you read the text, and you kind of blushed.”

Jessie cursed silently. That girl didn’t let anything pass under her nose, didn’t she?

              “Don’t talk about it to anyone. No one know I have a crush.”

Jessie decided not to mention Mal and her kissed. If it was a crush, they wouldn’t repeat. A girlfriend, maybe.

The girls smiled, and Ann-Sophie made a thumbs up. Jessie took her phone and left in direction of the sport facilities. Mal had a competition with a Pegasus. Jessie smiled thinking she had chosen this one for her. _So happy I am not the one on the horse!_ The Canadian had never seen the girl practicing, so she wondered how much she improved during the last month or so in riding. Was she even able to follow the movement of the horse flying.

There was not many legionnaire in pegasi competitions. It was known some years ago there was only one pegasus in the legion, who belonged to Reyna. A peanut-butter colored pegasus named Scipio, or Skippy. But Reyna wanted to compete in that category and give the chance for more medal and asked to bring those horses to camp. Reyna’s horse had only arrived the day before and Jessie was also curious how chemistry would work with this one.

Pegasi were very beautiful. Horses with wings. Jessie spotted some legionnaires. Mal was next to her horse, big confident smile. Today’s competition was “Show jumping”. The obstacles were very high due to the wings, and the horses had to not touch them at all. It looked more of a _who won’t fall from their horse flying vertically_ than anything. Reyna was already on hers.

              _On Bravery, Praetor Reyna Ramírez Arellano_

The leader of the legion lead the horse to the first obstacle: a tall tree that had grown there just for that event, thanks to Ceres’ children and fauns. The horse flew almost vertically, but the praetor was not a beginner! She did the same thing for the next ones. It looked more like a formality than anything for them.

A few Half-Blood were between Reyna and Mal. Jessie knew she had chances to coach the youth soccer team by herself. Mal had to stay after her turn if she “passed to the next round”. Fauns were expected to make the trees grow taller for a second round with those who passed the first. Then, they’d take the best time to determine the winner. Why not the first round? Jessie wondered, like a few people sitting next to her.

The announcer presented the next competitor, who was too far for Jessie to recognize.

              _From Camp Jupiter, riding Sundance, Mallory Pugh_

Jessie smiled as her girlfriend ordered the pegasus to gallop. Her horse almost touched the second obstacle, but ended up with a faultless run. Jessie was only starting to get used to see people that high in the air. She realised she was stressed to see Mal go. She was happy Mal had done her round. Jessie would be gone before she goes again for the finals. It was hard not to know how she’d do, but at the same time, Jessie was too nervous seeing her hundred of feet in the air.

The next person was a fellow 4th cohort. Jessie’s heart stopped beating when she saw the boy slip from the saddle, a hand holding him from falling. The horse noticed and flew smoothly on the ground trying to prevent the rider from letting go and dying.

Jessie was about to go when they announced Mal. She was the third one to go for the final. She did ok, but she had the second best time, and there was still three people going. Jessie couldn’t wait for all of them to pass, so she just hoped the American would join her mid game with a smile.

She had to keep her team disciplined, and that was not an easy task. Like expected, the kids already in camp followed the game plan perfectly. The others… it was a work in progress. At least, some were good at catching up mistakes and creating turn overs. They took a 1-0 lead in the first half. Like a good coach, she pointed out where her team did a good job and pointed what she saw that could be better. But she was quite proud of the kids for their first game. Opening the tournament was not an easy task. Half the kids had never played an actual soccer game before. Their parents were all in the crowd. Or at least, except Miika and Elora’s. Jessie felt a bit bad for them. Miika’s parent wanted to come, but Finland was a bit too far from San Francisco area for them. And they were mortals, they had to be allowed in camp in order to watch their daughter. For Elora, she was never able to reach her parents. Jessie felt bad for the kid.

The kids got a few positive words before going back on the field. Mal joined them about five minutes in second half.

              “We’re leading? That’s good!”

Jessie looked at the smile she had. Was it to be finally coaching the kids, or because she had medalled with Sundance? Jessie didn’t dare asking. She didn’t know Mal enough to figure out if that competition was important for her. Maybe she wouldn’t care about not medalling in horse-related competition. But maybe she was as competitive as Jessie and wanted to give her camp the best results she could.

              “I forgot to tell you bae. I gave Camp Jupiter their first Bronze medal. I was at 0.2 seconds of not having one!”

 Jessie made a big smile to the girl. That was a good new, for someone who didn’t ride a horse for years, like Reyna. The latest had gotten silver, due to lack of chemistry with her horse.

              “Was it that obvious she had no chemistry with her horse?” Jessie asked. “Oh and please, don’t call me bae yet…”

              “Ok, I’ll try remembering to keep it for when we’re alone. And no, I just heard her saying that when we calmed down our animals while waiting for medals. She thinks she could have gotten gold if Skippy was still alive.”

              “Who won gold?”

              “Percy Jackson and BlackJack. He told me the horse would make anything for him. I heard him talk to himself like he had a conversation with his Pegasus earlier. I almost peed myself. It was ridiculous.”

 The game ended with the same score, but they were near doubling their score. Jessie wanted to celebrate it a bit with the kids. They all got candies. Then, Jessie went by the arena for regrouping with the hockey team and warm up. The energy when they skated on the ice for the warm ups, with fans already seated made her feel nostalgic.

Romans were not good in hockey. In fact, they had had difficulty to find twenty players to make a team. Romans did team sports, but it was basketball, soccer, volleyball. Baseball was big in USA, but Jessie was not that much of a fan. And if there was football – American football, not the way to say soccer outside of North America – a lot of legionnaire would have sign in. Just to be able to body check Greeks. But since there was two “camps” that only included women, football had been forgotten. Because it was _not fair_ to the Hunters and Amazons. Of course, they wouldn’t allow girls to play. Argh. And hockey was following women’s hockey rules. Actually, everything did. Like they couldn’t handle any contact!

She was about the fastest skater on the team. Some teammates had put on skates the first time for the first practice of Camp Jupiter a few weeks back. They could brake, but that was it. They were playing the Hunters that day, and Jessie hoped they didn’t have much good players.

They were even worse than Jessie expected. A lot of players looked like they were skating for the first time, or almost. There was players that barely could stand on the ice, and some were walking with their skates. That was ridiculous. And their goalie was so horrible that Jessie ended up feeling bad for her, after putting her team’s 5th goal in the first ten minutes. They would humiliate them if they continued like that.

She cannot really say they played during the last period. She was just taking it easy, keeping the puck from her opponent. Making passes on the stick of her liney. The other team, in the other hand, was exhausted. It was almost always the same players who played, due to lack of skating skills. That was weird. If the roman had won quite easily and had stop playing in order to avoid humiliation, Jessie wondered if Half-Blood campers would do the same. She heard they had a good hockey team. People like Jessie who grew up playing it.

Jessie left the arena with a little smile on her face. They would absolutely medal in this one. The camp’s goal was to end up first in the medal countdown, hopefully with the most gold. They could approach that in a lot of sports. Soccer and Hockey would be a good battle, as well as in Tracks and field. They’d give the Hunters their medals in Archery. That was Romans’ bad sport. And swimming. That was totally not New Rome’s idea to include that in the competition. But… committee.

She passed by Mal’s centurion, who asked her how her day was. Jessie couldn’t hide her smile. After all, she had started quite well the competition.

              “Enjoy it, because you might never have more medal when the tournament ends. I heard you wanted to be a professional soccer player and go to the Olympic Games. You can dream! You’re stuck here, and you know it. Those who tried leaving here were banned. We never heard of them, one probably died playing hockey, trying to stop a puck a monster shot so fast her equipment couldn’t do anything! Playing on Team Canada, what was she thinking? Seriously, ever heard of a player named Small?”

Jessie looked at him, not sure if she had to argue, or to shut her mouth. She grew up playing hockey, she had heard of a goaltender named Small, but she couldn’t recall her name. Not a starter for sure. But Jessie was quite sure the woman was still alive.

She ended up leaving for the baths. A shower was very needed. But she had time to think about her future, doubting what the centurion had said was true. She wanted to go to those camp, she wanted to be an athlete. She never chose to be a demigod. Why would that make her not able to pursue her dream? What made it be impossible? Stupid camp rules? Seriously, Jessie found them ridiculous. She wished someone would take a stand with her. Greek campers were going to camp for summer only for most cases, and their training was as good, Jessie was sure of it.

She was pissed that people told her she wouldn’t succeed. Chasing her dream was second nature. After all, she was a daughter of Victoria. Winning was something she had in her blood. She was not a bad loser like those Greek twins, though. She had learned as a child that losing was part of the game too. And she knew she often learned more losing than winning. It was hard, but true.

Jessie decided that her next step was to give a medal to New Rome in soccer while doing everything she could to shine on the field. If the centurions and the praetors saw her talent, they’d realise she needed to go to the camp she was called to? At least, she already had two people on her side. But she needed everyone… One sure thing, she was not playing the biggest tournament in her life. No way. The only reason she stayed was to learn about monsters. In a year or two, if the legion didn’t please her anymore, she could just leave. Hopefully, John Herdman would still be interested. She was still young, hopefully it’d help?


	5. Dressed to impress, Victoria’s daughter edition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Demigod Games are still going on, and Jessie had not yet got an answer from her centurion to go to the U20 camp and World cup. Will she have her answer in time? Will she get the official legionnaire status?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous ones. I tried having a couple of Mal/Jessie moments because i'm pretty sure that's the reason why most people are reading this. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as i liked writing them. 
> 
> For the next chapter, i have a bit less content, or at least, there are some holes in a couple of chapter to have more than a few Word pages, so if someone can comment on what they like the most seeing in this fiction, that would be nice and helpful. Example: Should I focus even more on relationships? Do you like having demigods references here and there or it confuse people? Should i explain more in detail what things are?

The Olympics Games went well for Jessie. Her hockey team was qualified for the final game. She had won a few medals in Track and field. She even had beaten her Half-Blood camp sisters and won a gold medal! Jessie was happy with how things turned out. The tournament was starting to get to her, though. It was a long ten days, after all. Especially that she had chosen two sports with long tournaments. One day she played two hours of hockey, the other day was soccer.

Talking about soccer, her youth team had won gold on day 7. Jessie and Mal couldn’t be prouder of them. They had improved significantly and had faced adversity like pros. They had celebrated it by planning a little party for the kids. The next day, Mal invited Jessie to a restaurant to be just the two of them. They cheered on their different victories.

Jessie was starting to stress out about soccer. Her final game was in two days, the tournament ended with that, and she had still not given any answer for her soccer camp with Canada. What could she say? She was still waiting for Josh. He was the only one left and that pissed Jessie off. What did she have to do to be given the Legionnaire status? She had already won a gold medal and a few more. She had chances at most valuable hockey player, and the same could apply for soccer. Did her valuable act need to be battle related? Because they had given up on monster training for the competition for a while now, she couldn’t wait any longer…

Mal was trying to cheer Jessie up, but it didn’t really succeed. Mal had tried for the last two years and had failed most of the times. What could she tell Jessie?

              “I just… I wish Josh could see how it hurts to be ignored. How I needed an answer a month ago… The camp starts in two days now. I wanted to go and now, I won’t. I don’t even know what I need to do in order to go there. What is an act of value? Who decided if what I do is enough?”

Mal only made a little smile. Jessie knew her girlfriend wished she had an answer. At least, she was supportive. She understood the struggle. Her centurions were as closed than Jessie’s, if not worse…

Mal yawned and Jessie realised it was late. Her hockey game tomorrow was in the afternoon, but she needed to rest the most she could.

              “I’m going to bed, and you should definitely do the same. I’ll be in the stands watching you,” Mal said, before kissing goodbye and leaving Jessie’s cabin.

Jessie, already in pyjama, just crawled in her bed and closed her light, smile in her face. Mal made her smile. She cared about her more than anyone had cared about Jessie. In a love way, obviously. Her boyfriend from before she discovered she was a demigod… he didn’t exactly understand her dreams and aspirations.

She fell asleep quite fast, considering the stress and excitement. That was a good thing, she was needing a good night of sleep.

 

The next morning, Reyna came to see her.

              “You U20 coached called again. I told him to let you on the list, that I’d give the answer tomorrow. I told him we were now on a day to day decision. I could have just told him to tell you were injured, but I wanted to give you two more days. He agreed.”

              “Oh thank you. Why asking one more day? Do you think something will change with Josh? I’m not going until I am officially in the legion and no one can tell me how I can make an act of honor or whatever what during the Games, so…”

“Soccer is one of our main sport we want to excel. If we can win it, considering you had a pretty good tournament, and, in fact, the Games in complete, I’d recommend letting you be officially in the legion if you play well today and tomorrow. But I need to see good performances from you until the end of that soccer game. I know it’s putting a lot of stress for you, but I know how much you want to go to that camp. Since we already discussed everything about your safety and all, you’ll go to a camp as soon as you aren’t in probation.”

              “I don’t know what to say but Thank you again. I don’t know why you are so nice with me, but I’ll take it. I hope we can win it. I’ll play my best I swear!”

Reyna smiled. She mentioned something like loving watching soccer, and stupid camp rules. Jessie wondered what rules she referred, but left Reyna there with a big smile on her face. She was ready to play her hockey game, now. Her motivation was at 300 %. She just wished her body could take two more games. Her soccer career depended on it.

Jessie had discussed with Leila, Reyna and Jason the rules if she could leave. That was quite simple, she had to bring no attention to being a demigod. Since they couldn’t take pictures in New Rome area, a teammate couldn’t really find anything by looking at Jessie’s phone. Oh, she had to hide the phone too, because how do you explain you don’t want to add any player of your team in your contacts? She also had to lie in case of a monster attack. Invent anything to describe what happened. Jessie hoped it wouldn’t happen, because sometimes, to explain those things they couldn’t see, mortals assumed you did trouble, she had been told.

Jessie tried concentrating on her hockey game. Tomorrow, she’d think of the sport she excelled in. She knew the stands would be full. Greeks had a lot of Canadians in their squad. And New Rome habitants might come too. It was not very popular here, but she thought since it was a final game, people might want to come.

Qualifying for the final had been quite ok. The only game they had lost was against their today’s opponent, though. The Amazons, their goaltender was good and saved them most of the game, but they always ended up losing due to lack of scoring. They had two good forwards, really. The Hunters were the worst. Like a host at the Olympics that has never played an elite World Championship kind of bad. They had lost the bronze medal game that morning, 6-0… against the Amazons! Jessie couldn’t imagine what it would have looked like if they had played Camp Half-Blood, that Jessie fondly called Team Canada. She considered her team to look more like Finland in women’s hockey. Could win, but chances were quite lowered. They had good defensemen, and a good goalie, plus Jessie as their best forward.

Even if Jessie’s team had more chance to go out with a silver medal, the Roman teen couldn’t wait to play against Half-Bloods. That was the kind of game she looked up too. She knew there was a player she’d face two days in a row. Ann-Sophie Flowers was also in the hockey team. Jessie wouldn’t let her win. No way.

She put her purple and gold equipment on. She was ready. She looked around a little during warmups. The crowd was mostly cheering on the visitors. She was not even surprised, considering they had had a lot of Canadians at camp lately. And she knew just how much hockey was in her home country. She always heard about the Maple Leafs, no matter how bad they played. Her opponents had orange and black jersey on. Jessie thought it looked way too much like Edmonton Oilers jersey, blue replaced by black.

She took the face off against Ann-Sophie to start the game. Her catching up with her teammate seemed far away now. They were rivals, and it was no question to be friendly with her until the end of the 90 minutes tomorrow.

They played well, but it was never enough for the fast Half-Blood camp. They were more talented and were favorite to win that game. Jessie’s line was doing ok, it was quite similar to the Greek first line, but things changed as soon as she stepped off. The rest of the team didn’t keep up, and they found themselves trailing 3-0 after two periods. Jessie ended up scoring on the goalie Jessie didn’t want to try to pronounce the name in the last ten minutes, but it was the only goal for the local team. At least, her goalie didn’t let one more enter. Jessie was a bit disappointed with the second-place result, but she knew she had played her best. She had played just a between the third and half the game, considering hockey had four forward lines, that was quite impressive. And the Half-Blood camp goalie was very talented. She had a mask written Finland on – no doubt why she had a weird last name – and Jessie wondered if the Finn was on national team. And even if she didn’t, it’s hard to score when Jessie the only person not playing defence minded… She had scored on a breakaway. Her celebration was worth nothing, thought. She had tripped on an opponent stick just after letting the puck in. Humiliation, you say?

Most of the team still accepted that silver medal with a smile on their face. Jessie tried really hard, but she was very disappointed. Would a silver medal be enough for Josh? Did she had to have gold in both hockey and soccer for her leaders to promote her? Even if she knew she didn’t have much chance to win that game, she still wished she was playing in a team more aggressive on the puck. They had played defensively all along. If Josh had seen the game, her only hope was that he noticed her shifts more than anything.

She made a very little smile to Ann-Sophie Flowers as she passed next to her on their way to the locker rooms.

              “I’ll have my revenge tomorrow!”

              “Really? Because there are some tricks I haven’t use in prelims, and I might want to keep them just for you…”

The blond girl was just teasing her, right? Jessie wondered if they were actual soccer strategies, or she was talking about demigod power. Because except that eager to win everything, Jessie didn’t have much powers. Some demigods and legacies could actually control elements. Hazel Lévesque could dig tunnels by thoughts. Frank Zhang could transform into any animal he wanted. Her centurion, Leila, was good at growing plants, especially vegetables. Did Ann-Sophie have that kind of power?

She went directly to her room. She needed some time alone. She was frustrated more than she thought she’d be. And she was needing some calm to clear her mind and go on something else. She couldn’t focus on the next day’s game, no matter how hard she tried. She repassed the hockey game in her mind. Saw where she screwed up.

_Your teammates gave everything they could, Jessie. Stop blaming them. You played your best too. Don’t put it all on you like this. Think about anything else. You have a silver medal, but you’ll play better tomorrow. Soccer is your thing. You’ll do great._

She tried to convince herself. Motivate her. Sending herself good vibes. But the truth, she was desperately needing to think about anything else than sports.

Mal knocked at the door of the casern. Jessie could see her by the window of the door. She stood up from her bunk bed. Walked to the entrance.

              “Hey, what would you think of a walk around town with me? Just to hang out?”

Jessie knew she couldn’t refuse. Even if she just felt like staying in bed and rumbling about the game.

              “I know you wanted a better result and I swear it’s the only time today I mention the game, but I’m still proud of you.”

Jessie made a little smile. That didn’t last long. She wasn’t happy about her performance. But she’d make an effort not to let it show because Mal was around. She didn’t want to disappoint her. Or worse, that Mal would think she is a bad loser. She wasn’t. She was just scared. Her legionnaire status could depend of that game she had lost. And it made her sick.

_You tripped on the goal you scored. Please tell me Josh didn’t see_

She prayed her mother on her way to New Rome. “Please Victoria, mom, help me win tomorrow and give me the strength to show Josh what being your daughter is about. Let me prove him I am worth being tested by my country,” she silently said in her head. No way Mal hear her.

They passed Terminus like nothing. He was used to them by now. The only detail they hadn’t realise: a boy from the second cohort was following them, with Dakota, a boy in Jessie’s.

              “You’ve been hanging out a lot lately, is there something between you two?” Dakota asked.

Jessie snapped him off, “No!” she lied. Hoping Mal wouldn’t mind. She was just that private person and didn’t want people to find out just yet. They were barely just starting dating. Their first kiss was just a bit more than a week before…

They hung out around town. Jessie looked at the university a bit envious. She wanted to study there. The building was impressive, and the architecture, amazing. It had that roman vibe to it, obviously. They saw a couple of students hanging out there, books in hand. Jessie assumed they were doing summer classes. Mal gave Jessie the lunch they had picked on their way there as they sat on the grass. Jessie didn’t want to admit it, but she was still starving after finishing hers. She had just not realised it soon enough to buy more and was left with not enough food in her stomach. She stole one bite to Mal.

              “Hey!” Mal exclaimed with a laugh.

Jessie took out her tongue, and took the sandwich in Mal’s hand while she was looking at her face. A good distraction? The American looked at her with a shocked face as her date was taking another piece of her food.

              “What? I’m hungry! You should know that I love food, especially after games like these.”

It got a smile from Mal. She whispered a soft, “I love you”. There were a few people around and they wanted to keep things discreet. Jessie just wanted to kiss her date, but she was a private person, so she tried her best to keep herself at “friend level”. She was scared to make one move too much. She didn’t know exactly what her sexual orientation was, Mal was the first girl she had ever crushed on. But she knew she liked her more than any other girls she had met in her life (and gods there were a lot of them, playing soccer with girls).  She was scared the word would go out, and people would start looking at them. She knew there were closed minded people at camp, and she was not even started about the ghosts hanging around! Her centurions would not let the two of them alone in their dorms if they knew they were dating. Jessie didn’t plan to do anything sexual with Mal yet, that was not the question, she wasn’t ready for it, but she liked being alone with her and talk, and holding her close. And what if someone put pictures of Mal and her in mortal internet? She couldn’t have journalists, or fans if she even had, knowing about that.

Jessie decided after they finished their lunch to go see a competition. There was only a few left, but they found their way to the facilities. Jessie didn’t even know what they’d go watch, but it didn’t matter as long as she had Mallory at her sides. Once in their seats, Jessie shyly took her girlfriend’s hand. There was almost only their pinky finger touching anyway. She wrapped hers in Mal’s. It felt good. And it was way too discreet for anyone to notice. Except for Mal, who made a shy smile to Jessie. You know, the one smile you do when your crush tells you something you like, and butterflies goes crazy in your stomach? Yeah, this one. Jessie replied with the same face, but hers was probably bright red.

              “Have I ever told you I love the freckles in your face, and your way to stick out your tongue when you smile?” Mal said.

Mal liked her freckles? Gods, why? Jessie wasn’t really liking them that much. She was used to have them on her cheeks her whole life, but it was far from being cute! Then, she realised the detail Mal told her that she had no clue about.

              “My tongue what? What are you even talking about? I don’t stick out my tongue when I smile!”

Mal laughed, “Yes you do!”

She even tried to give an example, but Jessie didn’t find it convincing. Especially when Mal said she wasn’t able to do it. Jessie definitely needed to be more conscious of herself when she smiled to understand what the girl was referring to. Because now, she just felt embarrassed.

She wet her lips, a habit she was very aware she had, before rolling her eyes at Mal. She wished she had noticed something cute Mal did, but except being Mallory Pugh, she didn’t find any repetitive thing that made Jessie’s feeling go crazy. She loved how Mal looked like, loved her personality. But she didn’t have any habit in particular that made Jessie blush.

Watching other competition and spending time with Mal was a very good idea to forget about that hockey game. She already felt like it was forever ago. Was it really only two hours before? It was crazy how she felt so good when she was with Pugh.

              “Thank you for being there and not going away when I wanted to be alone. I didn’t realise how much I wanted in fact to be surrounded with you.”

Mal didn’t have the time to reply anything, they were joined by Lisa and Jillian. Ugh. Jessie wished she could tell them about the fact Mal and her were dating, so they wouldn’t interrupt, but at the same time, it would get people suspicious if Jill and Lisa let them alone often. Dakota asking earlier was bad enough!

              “How is it going for our representants?”

Jessie barely pay attention to the actual competition, and she found herself stuttering something. Jill didn’t look impressed at all.

              “Were you watching, or like, you have no clue what’s going on?”

Jessie decided to admit she had no clue about wrestling rules. And she was actually not at all into it. She was still watching because Mal was next to her, and because a legionnaire was next.

 

Jessie crashed in bed that night. Fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Thanks god, because she had a game the next day. She woke up with her alarm, energised. That was a good thing.

She followed the same soccer game day routine than for the whole competition. Not that Jessie had superstitions, but there was a team meeting, and she knew she couldn’t eat too early or too late. Too early would mean not enough energy, but just before the game, she’d have it on the stomach.

She joined the team in the locker room in the early afternoon.

              “The Greek team used magical powers for the semis, that they didn’t use in the game we played against them in the first week. I’d pay attention to the Demeter’s daughters. They like trying to make people fall from things growing on the field. The referees don’t call it fouls. There is also some ball movement in the air that are odd. I saw a ball deflecting completely mid air with a suspicious wind.”

Jessie smirked. That was what Ann-Sophie was teasing her about? Oh. She should have known. Powers were allowed after all. It led to interesting competitions sometimes. She had not particularly experienced it, no one had ice power, and the Demeter’s kids had stayed “clean” in prelims in soccer, but she had seen a couple of things the previous day from the stands.

She smiled at Leila. The captain was a Ceres daughter, the equivalent of Demeter. Could she play the game the same way? Field was also her advantage. One of the reasons she was the captain. Being a centurion was obviously the most logical one, though, but they still could rely on her when needed. Jessie knew she could use some tricks to try to stop the opponent’s attacks. Leila was defenseman.

It was finally go-time. The coach announced the starting XI. Quite similar to the whole tournament. Leila encouraged her teammates and looked at Jessie and Mal in the eyes.

              “I have faith in you to lead the attack. That will be our toughest game up to now. But I know both of you are made to play and are used to tough competitions. There is a reason why recruiters saw you play. Prove us.”

Jessie smiled. They lined up in the hallway leading to the field. Entering in number order. She was wearing 8. It was the number she had with the Canadian squad up to now. Also her favorite player’s number. Matheson. One midfield Jessie looked up to a lot. Matheson was not a tall player. She was barely over a meter and half. But she had worked hard not to let her size matter in the game. And she was now a veteran on the Canadian team. Jessie liked her style of play. And being not that tall either, she could always look up to Diana.

The atmosphere as they entered the stadium was breathtaking. It was full of romans cheering them on. Very different from last night. It was like the whole town was there. There were waves of purple and gold. Jessie felt home. That was the kind of crowd she wished would be for the World Cup held the next year across her country.

She was ready for the whistle announcing the start of the game. Her legs were there, her mental was there. She was ready to give it all. It was a do or die situation. In her case, it could lead her to go to the wished U20 camp. The stakes were high. And Jessie was ready to play her best soccer. Give it all out.

Like planned, Half-Blood camp showed up. Jupiter camp was playing a little bit more organised. More controlling the ball. More possession. Jessie didn’t know if it was better to use the ground and face Ann-Sophie and her sisters’ little tricks, or centering the ball by the air, leaving that Kingsbury boy controlling the ball mid-air with wind. Because Jessie saw him looking concentrated on not running while Mal sent the ball in the air. And the ball turned ways, like the wind had suddenly changed side completely. Questionable…

Jessie led the play. She was that kind of player. She saw the game very well. Anticipated the opponent’s next moves. And gods, the Half-Blood were predictable today. She made passes where her players were open. She even got a couple of times during first half where she got to join the attack. She had a few good shots on goal. On target, but their keeper kept it out. Until the 35th minute. Jessie was the first one sending one in. She celebrated it! And this time, no one made her trip on anything! She walked next to Ann-Sophie, smirk on her face.

              “You said, yesterday, Flowers?”

              “I’m not done yet!”

Yeah, sure, Jessie thought. Instead, she played harder. Greeks played too individually. But that was typical from them. Romans attacked enemies in group, while Greeks went one on one. Jessie expected their game plan to reflect that. She had the job to mark Ann-Sophie. She won most of the battles. And since Flowers was their best player, she gave Mal a couple of chances to score. But it didn’t seem to be her lucky night.

At half time, the coach decided to switch things up a little.

              “Jessie, I’d like you to play forward. I loved what you showed, and you gave us a lead. Can you continue in that way?”

The Canadian teen nodded. It was not a position she was very used to have, but she knew she was able to play it. Leila was smiling next to her.

              “Go give a reason to Josh to regret saying no.”

Jessie was focused. She applied pressure. Went forward when there were openings. She found herself being on a breakaway. Made no mistake as the ball passed only a couple of inches above the keeper’s hands. The ball bounced behind him. 2-0 Jupiter camp. Half an hour to go.

Ann-Sophie replied. Her team started with the ball after the Jupiter goal, like the rules state. The romans weren’t able to intercept passes. And the Quebecer found herself aiming the ball perfectly. Argh. Jessie was disappointed. They couldn’t blow up their lead. They had to keep their mind in the game and win those little battles.

It took 10 minutes. A perfect pass on Mallory’s head on a corner Bryan took. Mal only redirected it toward the goal. It beaten the goalkeeper. 3-1.

There was a couple of substitutions made. At some point during the game, a quite rough player on the Greek side took down Leila. She was visibly injured. She could barely put weight on her foot. It was a little worrying. Jessie helped her out of the field. Leila stood up on her ok foot on the sidelines and took off her armband and offered her. Jessie was taken by surprise. For someone who wasn’t supposed to be on the team in the first place, or was supposed to barely play a couple weeks ago! She was impressed. She was the subbing captain for the final game. A probatio!

              “You’re the captain now. Go win this.”

There was three minutes added at the end of the game. Jupiter camp had a good momentum. Jessie was just outside the box. She didn’t have much options, her teammates were all covered, but she was for some reasons, almost alone. After a quick check-up, she wasn’t offside. She passed next to one orange player. Got around another one. Beat a Demeter girl. And shot directly to the net. She had not aimed it perfectly, but the keeper didn’t read it correctly, and exaggerated in his jump at right. The ball passed just above his stomach while he was full stretching.

She didn’t realise until they announced it that she had a hat trick. Mal was the first one to jump at her. She saw Josh face in the stands. He wasn’t impressed. Or maybe he was disappointed she had had a good game? _What do you think about that? Making 30 000 people scream in this stadium. Still can’t play the U20 World cup?_

When the final whistle was blown, the whole team ran to her. She got raised in the air, and her team started chanting her name. Joined by the crowd. It quickly escalated from “Fleming, Fleming!” to “Act of honor” from her team. The thousands of people there joined in, even if the non-roman had no clue what they were screaming. Could she have done it? That hat trick was her act making her enter this legion?

They got presented the medals. Jessie gasped as she saw them. She had had a few, but this gold one was in the sport she wanted it the most. She couldn’t have a bigger smile. But as soon as the medal was put around her neck, she felt her wrist burning. She startled. It felt like you had put a hot flat iron on her skin and held it there. Tears filled her eyes as she looked down to see the mark. When she realised what it was, her hurting face turned into a little smile.

Victoria’s symbol was now tattooed on her wrist. The letters SPQR for the legion motto that Jessie could remember what it stood for. Something in Latin. And a single bar under it. First year. She was officially in the legion.

Josh came in their locker room as they were celebrating.

              “I guess you can call your coach now. See you in a couple of weeks. Don’t celebrate too much, you have bags to make.”

Jessie looked at him, not sure she could believe it. She was a legionnaire, and she could finally go to that camp? She didn’t remember screaming that loud of joy. She had to hold herself not to go directly kiss Mal.

              “Wow, congrats, girl. I’m going to try not to be jealous. Kidding, I’m happy for you. I know how much this camp and tournament means for you.”

Awww.

She called Bev to tell her the news while walking by the Principia, where she’d use a mortal phone to call coach Andrew. She was surprised when she heard a phone ringing behind her. She turned around in surprise.

              “You don’t have to tell me, I saw your game. Do you really think I was not going to see the first demigod competition, especially knowing two of my players were battling for a gold medal? I love what I saw from both you and Flowers. It’s a shame she can’t go to our next U17 camp. But it’s not the matter today. Welcome in the legion, Fleming.”

She got a hug from the former legionnaire. She then entered in the Principia. Mal texted her she was in the fourth cohort building, starting to pack Jessie’s stuff. Mal was so cute!

The camp started the next day, Jessie didn’t get the chance to celebrate anything. Fuck the closing ceremony. She was leaving with Bev that same night. Direction: airport. She barely got the time to see Lisa and Jill before leaving. Kissed goodbye Mal at the tunnel, under Bev’s eyes.

              “Dating the rival, really?” the woman said once in the car.

Jessie gasped. She couldn’t help it. Did Bev choose who she fell in love with, or she just did?

              “You’re right. If I had had the choice, I would probably have dated men, but I’m born loving women. A little bit more complicated, especially when it comes to coming out to family or just start your own family, but you know…”

Jessie smiled as she imagined her coach becoming a mother. She felt like she had gotten closer to Bev that she should be, due to be a demigod.

Jessie looked at the list Reyna had made her. _Rules to follow when out of camp_

  1. Not talking about demigod stuff
  2. Hide phone and lie about having social media accounts
  3. Hide tattoo at all time or use mist to cover it
  4. Invent a story on where you live and go with it for the rest of your life
  5. Protect other demigods and legacies if you see any
  6. Don’t draw attention on you in case of monster attack



Jessie looked at the list. Controlling the mist was not something she was able to do. No one had showed her yet. She wondered how she’d hide the tattoo. Accessories were not things you could wear during games. She found in her backpack a white fabric bracelet large enough to cover it, but what was she supposed to do during games? She couldn’t help but smile as she saw it was a red Canadian maple leaf on it.

With Bev at her side, weapon in bag, she safely made her way to Mexico, where they had an international series before heading to Canada. Both the teenager and the coach were always ready to fight as they took their flight. Thankfully, it wasn’t necessary.

 

The camp in itself was quite great. Jessie knew a couple of players and got along quite well with them. She was roomed with Rebecca Quinn. She was a nice girl. She questioned her on the tattoo, and Jessie replied it was something to represent her family. She didn’t know what Quinny saw, so she didn’t give any details. It’s not like she could anyway.

              “It looks quite recent, when did you have it?”

She couldn’t answer, “last night,” so she mumbled something like a week. The tall blond looked at her wondering why someone would go have a brand-new tattoo on her wrist a couple of days before a soccer camp. Jessie was wishing deep inside of her she wouldn’t receive a ball directly on her arm. It was still a bit sensitive.

 

During an evening where they could relax, once back in Canada for the camp, Jessie saw a monster from afar. She was in a café with a couple of teammates hanging around. Since it was summer, no one had homework or readings to do, and that felt great. But everyone wondered why she always had her backpack with her. She couldn’t tell them she had a sword and a dagger in it. She had to shut her month. She pretended she was allergic to kiwis and peaches, and had in her bag an EpiPen. But the truth was that she had loads of Ambrosia and a couple of things to harm monsters.

She looked outside with a worried look. She saw the monster passing down the street like nothing. She was a little confused. She expected him to burst into the café and destroy everything. She was scared. But she couldn’t go fight it just for the sake of killing it. _Don’t put your life in danger for nothing Fleming_. But what if he was chasing after another demigod who couldn’t defend himself?

She had to resist to the urge to grab her phone and text Bev. She was with Rebecca, Janine Beckie and Kailen Sheridan. She couldn’t take out her phone. It was one of the praetors’ rules. She decided to use the bathroom and left with her bag. Everyone would think she had her period, and she couldn’t care less.

Bev told her not to worry. If he came by her, fight, but don’t put your life and danger if not necessary. Bev wanted her alive.  

              “How can you make the senior team if you die?” Bev texted while Jessie was washing her hands (she still used the bathroom, being there).

The brunette smiled. John Herdman was a technical assistant during the camp and the World Cup. There was also player Rhian Wilkinson. A big motivation to play well for the girl.

 

They had five days between the camp and the beginning of the World Cup. Jessie decided to stay around, and didn’t go see her family. The Cup was held in Canada anyways, and they had games in Toronto, she knew she’d see her family. It was silly, but she wanted to avoid going to London. She couldn’t have her friends and siblings asking where she had gone to. She wasn’t a good liar. Lying to her teammates was easier. She pretended she was living with her cousin in California because they had a good school and a good soccer program. She couldn’t tell something else to her friends and family, because they knew each other’s, and if her friends would buy it, Elysse would question which cousin. And she couldn’t invent two lies at the same time, it was too much to handle. So, avoiding family and friends it was, despite how hurting it was for Jessie.

She got the time to have a conversation with John Herdman. He liked how she played. Her confidence on the pitch. Her vision of the game.

              “I might consider testing you for a senior camp in the future. You know, with our Excell programs, we want to align the youth teams’ vision to the senior team’s. That can mean testing out younger players.”

Jessie smiled, and had difficulty hiding her excitement. She was ready to give all she had on the field during the Cup. She had to impress the senior team’s head coach. She knew they had friendlies coming up, and would probably centralise in late fall/winter for The World Cup. That would be nice if she could be one of the tested players. Because when you reach the camps, you never know if you’ll stay or not. Jessie wanted to be in the Stay ones. No less. She was a daughter of Victoria, making the senior team was her next goal. And it might not be that far, if her camp allowed her.

 

The team regrouped in Toronto’s BMO field, where they faced Ghana. They lost their first game 1-0. But they won the next game 3-2 against Finland, with goals from Janine Beckie, Valérie Sanderson and Nichelle Prince.

Their next destination was the Olympic Stadium, in Montreal. It looked empty. It was announced a little bit over 13 thousand people, which was nothing comparing to the maximum capacity of 65 thousands. They played against North Korea, and Beckie was the lone goal scorer. The Canadian team was still proud, they had made their way to quarters.

 The quarter didn’t go the Canadian’s way. First of all, they faced Germany. If their senior team was well ranked, their U20 team was expected with good results too. The European team won 2‑0 in front of a sea of red of 22 thousand people. The team was disappointed in their result. They had placed sixth. They wanted to go further than that. Especially on home soil. It was a bit tough. They wanted to travel to Montreal for the final rounds. Instead, they were leaving for home.

 Jessie had still a lot to look at. She was one of the youngest players there, being fifteen. And John Herdman was quite impressed by her talent.  She had a smile on her face as she took a plane. Soccer was her biggest motivation in life. Everything she did was linked to soccer. But now, it was time to go back to her demigod reality. Go back to that camp. She texted Mal. That was the only one thing she missed for now. She wanted to invite her to a restaurant in New Rome, like, a fancy one. Have that official first date, and she’d pay the whole thing.


	6. I thought soccer was supposed to be a cost-free sport to play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessie comes back to Camp Jupiter after the U20 World Cup. She meets a new girl on her way. She gets to spend a bit of time with Mal. But she learns things that bother her.

Since a lot of international flights goes by Toronto, Jessie was doing the Edmonton – San Francisco way by a stop in her native province. Jessie’s dad finally arrived to pick her up. Jessie’s mom she was doing a late shift at work. While all her teammates were flying to their home or their university, she was going to sleep in London before taking a flight the next morning. She liked that she could go in her home province still, despite not having a good finish. Being to her native Ontario was great. She missed her home, and she knew she could relax a little before going back to training. She did not mention to the coach about demigod competition, but that competition, plus the camp, plus the U20 world cup, was more than Jessie could handle. She had had only five days of break between the pre-tournament camp and the tournament, and she just rested. It was hitting Jessie really hard, and she was surprised she didn’t injure herself. Not to forget the muscles she had forgotten until she started playing hockey again.

In the car on her way home, her father asked her tons of questions about her life at camp, and for once, Jason and Reyna couldn’t hear. It was not a bad thing Elysse hadn’t come with their father. Jessie would get home quite late, which meant after the kid’s bedtime, and it gave a chance for the teenager to talk with her dad about her demigod stuff Elysse was not aware of. She confided on her difficulty to adapt to the _army_ , her fears of not playing soccer enough to do well at camps. She had done good considering the amount of sports she had done over the summer. But for the next soccer camps, it would be the opposite. And it could cost her place on the national team. That, if she could leave the camp to go kick some balls… Jessie still feared she had done her last camp with Canada. But the worst is that John Herdman looked impressed by her… He told her he considered her for the friendly matches against Japan in October… with the senior team!

Her father was a nice man, and let his daughter talk. Then, he comforted her. He always had the good words to cheer Jessie up a little. To make her feel better. Gods, she missed him. But as soon as she entered home, she crashed into bed. She was just too exhausted to do something with her dad. She headed in the direction of the bedrooms. She still went in her sister’s bedroom to kiss her goodnight, though. She was a bit disappointed when she noticed Elysse was sleeping.

Her flight the next morning was early enough that she couldn’t do anything with her family, she kissed her mom goodbye as she entered in the house from her shift, and Elysse was still sleeping. Jessie was curious about this one, she was the teenager, she should have been the one wanting to sleep in, but Elysse was probably just in need of some sleep? It was a little disappointing for the sixteen-year-old girl. She didn’t count the London-Toronto drive like something fun to do with her family. It was again her father that drove her, for obvious reasons her mom needed to sleep. On her way there, he admitted something that troubled a bit the athlete.

              “I’ll be honest, I’m taking advantage that your mother isn’t here to hear, but your sister may or may not be a demigod.”

              “What? But I remember mom being pregnant” Jessie said in confusion. She started talking louder. She didn’t like where the conversation was heading. “You told me Victoria appeared at your door with baby me in her arms after you cheated on mom. That didn’t happen for Elysse! She can’t be… wait, you cheated on mom twice?”

She was frustrated. How could he?

              “That’s why I’m hoping she’s not, because I can see your life being harder since you’ve learned you were. But I’m scared. Elysse is becoming older and I’m afraid one day I’ll come home and she’ll be at the hospital because of a monster. You are a rare case of demigod. You aren’t dyslexic, but she is. You are both hyperactive. And let’s be honest, she looks way too much like you at her age.”

Jessie was shaking. Please, gods, you can’t have my little sister be the daughter of Victoria or any other goddess. She didn’t know what to say more. Her dad was right. And she was pissed at him. So as the introvert that she was, she stopped talking before things got worse.

She texted Mal, heartbroken. Her dad was a cheater. Mal tried comforting her, but her girlfriend couldn’t lie and sent, _One of my fellow roommates tell me that his godly mother got his mortal mom pregnant, with a demigod child. So your dad has reasons to worry. I really hope your sister is not a demigod._

Jessie decided to put some CD in the car to sign along, not able to continue in this silence. Hopefully, her dad would follow in her karaoke moment. She smiled when he began signing his favorite song.

He waited at the airport with her while she waited in the line to register her luggage. And then he was gone. Jessie was scared, she hoped no monsters would attack. If it happened, she was in trouble, as the security would obviously take her sword for something like a gun. For the moment, it looked like a big plastic cylinder container to stock school projects. It had passed everywhere she went to, even if her sword was golden: how the hell did the metal detector not seen it? Jessie hoped it stayed this way one more time. She only faced two monsters during her month out, and she wanted it to stay this way. _Please, keep being quiet_ , she thought.

Jessie got lucky at the airport. Nothing attacked her. But she looked nervous enough that security called her. They looked at her school bag, before taking her to another room and ask her to take out clothes. Great!

Once in San Francisco, she took a bus to the city that was closest to the camp. She already had booked it. Then, she would have to get a lift like she had done some months before. The bus ride went ok, like every time she took one. Like before she learned she was a demigod.

She was about to ask for directions to a person, hoping she could get a lift, when she felt someone touching her shoulder. She turned fast, ready to fight a monster.

              “Hey, I didn’t mean to scared you! I just noticed your tattoo on your wrist… If I talk to you about someone named Lupa, do you know who it is?” the girl who tapped on her shoulder said. She was about Jessie’s size. Athletic. Hair kept in a ponytail. Her hair was a little bit lighter than Jessie’s, though, and she looked to be a little younger, but not much than two years. She only had a school bag. And she had a scar in her face. It looked recent. She had gotten into fight with monsters?

              “You are sent by her? Or you are searching her?” Jessie asked, before adding, “I’m Jessie Fleming, who are you?”

              “Penny. From Toronto.”

              “I just arrived from there. And you were not in my bus, so I assume you were with Lupa.”

              “Yeah, I’m searching for the camp. Do you know where it is?”

              “I do. But we need someone to drive us, it’s way too far to walk.

They asked a couple of people where they were going to before having someone who took the road they wanted. Penny clearly died of asking questions to Jessie, but she couldn’t do it in front of mortals. They took a lift with a tall blond woman who had rent a car. She was alone. After some minutes driving, she looked at the teenagers.

              “I’m doing a conference in the town near where you describe you want me to let you. Has Camp Jupiter moved since the last time I went? It was the other side of the bay. I am Victoria’s daughter. I’ve never done my ten years of service, though. I ran away to do a hockey camp and never came back. I missed too much my family, my home, and I couldn’t practice sports I liked. I am a back up goalie for the Toronto Furies, I went to three Olympic games in hockey. I have only one medal, even if my team won each time. I was reservist twice and back then, they didn’t give medals. I still studied in California even if I hated Jupiter camp. Just so if something happened, to me or to the camp, I could be close.”

Jessie thought that woman talked a lot. What if they weren’t campers? She’d have to explain a lot! Jessie had never heard of the Furies, but she wasn’t surprise Toronto had a professional women’s hockey team. If Montreal had one, Toronto had to have one. Penny looked as lost about who was this Olympian than Jessie.

              “I forgot to tell my name. Sami Jo Small. My husband Billy doesn’t even know I am a demigod, and I doubt I’ll tell my future kids. For some reasons, I am rarely attacked. Once a year. Except that year the Olympics were in Torino. I always say that I hesitated to go because I knew I wouldn’t play as I was reservist, the third goalie, but in fact, it is because Italia is dangerous for us. But usually, I do good with monsters. Do you often get attacked, or it is a Victoria thing?”

Jessie was confused for a second. First, how did she know she, and probably Penny, were demigods? And the woman looked at her like she knew she was descending from Victoria. Then she realised, she had a tattoo on her wrist, and after looking at the wheel for a second, Sami Jo had the same. But with three bars. So she left before even doing four years!

              “It must be Victoria, then, I went out for a month, and only saw… two monsters? And I don’t think I would have known who I was if it wasn’t that I was roomed with another demigod at a soccer camp. My coach told me I was a demigod, my dad probably still wishes mom didn’t know. The coach is a legacy. Penny, do you know who you parent is?”

              “No, but I wouldn’t be surprised it is Neptune. I’m good with water. I always wished I lived by the coast. I love swimming, I do competitions. Won a few provincials, actually. I’d like to be on the Olympic squad for 2020. Rio are a bit too close.”

Rio was in two years exactly. Jessie smiled as she hoped the same exact thing. But the Jupiter camp was changing everything. It was not that surprising Sami left the camp, after all… She didn’t mention her thoughts to Penny, though, she didn’t want to crush her dreams.

It took more than a mile for Jessie to realise what sport Penny was doing.

              “I forgot to tell you. Last month, we had a competition with three other groups of demigods. We hosted. We build a pool for the other camps to use. I am sorry to learn you that romans hate water. So you might hear about us losing everything that included water, and that’s why I’m already telling you. But don’t get your hopes up too fast, I’m pretty sure the installations are already destroyed. The pool was probably the first down. I’m hoping they’ll leave the soccer stadium like a naïve person.”

              “I wish I was there, maybe we would have won in swimming!” Penny said.

              “Well, one Greek had also won a few provincials, for Quebec, though. Émilie Marin, have you heard of her?”

              “Yeah. I would have beaten her. I do most of the time.”

Sami Jo cut them off.

              “What Greeks? I know there was a big discussion on whether Greek gods also exist… so they do and also have kids?”

              “And we’ve made peace,” Jessie said with a serious face. Yeah, competing was fun, but if a monster war declared, they were going to help each other. “Camp Half-Blood is located in the East. New York State, if I’m not wrong. Also competing were the Amazons and Diana’s hunters. Fun fact, our praetor Jason is brother to Hunters leader, and praetor Reyna is Amazons’ queen little sister. The latest look alike.”

Jessie might have looked too enthusiast talking about the competition, because they asked dozens of questions. But she liked competing, probably as much as her companions. Deep inside of her, she thought she would have preferred her mother had been in her Greek form when dating her dad: Nike. Yeah like the brand, that’s where it came from. Her U17 teammate, Ann-Sophie, had told her about life in the east during their little catch-up at the competition. It looked way more fun. Their Friday night capture the flag was similar to their war games. They had ancient Greek classes and battle classes. And tasks to do. But it was not like the army. They ate outdoor. It looked way more fun. More free time. It was less strict. But still, going out at night or going out of the camp limits without authorisation was not allowed, with reasons. Ann-Sophie had learned it the hard way. Jessie had a smile when she heard this one. The blond girl had decided to go for a jog without noticing she crossed the limits. And she came back with a stay dog she called Mr. Potato! Jessie was still waiting for an explanation for the stupidest name ever, but Ann-Sophie told her she would save it for a U17 camp, so more people can have a good laugh.

Sami Jo Small woke her up a little.

              “Do you know if we are far from the camp, Jessie? Cause there is someone following us since minutes and every time I change lanes, he does too. I wouldn’t be surprise if it’s a monster that would attack us soon. We are three demigods in the same car, after all.”

Penny looked behind. She was clearly scared. Jessie was not that confident either. Penny had basically no fighting skills, Jessie had barely a few months of training and Sami Jo, three years dating from what, twenty years ago now? That could be a concern. Jessie was happy when she saw the tunnel.

              “Camp entrance is in the tunnel. Penny, switch side, we’ll go out by the right, unless you want to get hit by a car.”

              “I won’t be able to stop long, I’m pretty sure the car will happily crash into us. I rent the car and it’s totally going to cost me a lot…” Sami Jo said.

Penny looked panicked, but Jessie couldn’t blame her, she was not calm herself.

              “You want us to jump out?”

Sami slowed down the more she could, but the person behind her did not look like stopping. Instead, he decided to hit her as hard as he could. Jessie could see his face through the mirror. A monster, no doubts about it. Their car dangerously crashed into the tunnel wall. They didn’t hit any other car, to Jessie’s happiness.

              “Are you girls ok?” Penny asked, behind Jessie.

Jessie tried moving. Yeah, she was ok. Just a little stuck. Or it was the adrenaline, maybe. Sami Jo also answered. They got out of the car. The legionnaires with the guarding task were already fighting the monster. Jessie showed the door to Penny, and then joined in the fight. Sami was injured a little bit, so they went into safe place.

It didn’t take long before that thing disappeared. But then, a police car pulled over. Obviously, someone had called the police to report the accident.

Sami Jo came to meet him.

              “You are not supposed to slow down on a highway. But we are former campers, we asked this area knowing where the camp is. So, we will let you go without problems!”

Sami was relieved, until she saw the car. It was a complete mess. She called the company, claiming someone came out of nowhere and hit them. The police officers confirmed for her. They were nice with them. After the car was taken by a trailer, they entered in the camp. Jessie told the legionnaires guarding up to stay at the door. She was not a stranger!

Jessie showed the infirmary to Sami Jo and then went directly to her barrack to put her bags there. She looked at the empty bed next to hers. A legionnaire was gone. Jessie recalled it was Meredith’s bed. She was in her ninth year of service. Did she got her tenth year of service while Jessie was gone and retired, or something happened to her? Dying legionnaire was a thing in this camp, though it was not so frequent. Jessie wondered if the empty bed could be Penny’s. The girl looked nice, and from first impression, Jessie thought they’d get along well.

They left the barrack and Jessie went to check on Sami Jo. She was already joking with some legionnaires. She looked fine. Someone offered the woman a tour, and Jessie realised she had to do Penny one. First stop was the Principia. The teen needed to meet Jason and Reyna in the first place.

On their way, they met Leila. Jessie asked the centurion about the empty bed.

              “Meredith died during War Games two weeks ago.”

Jessie made a little sad face. The girl was so near retiring from the legion! Penny looked at her, like she didn’t feel safe here either.

              “That’s not that frequent, but War Games can be dangerous. But you shouldn’t worry about that yet. At least, we’re safe from monsters. We have to challenge us though, and that’s why our training is not for everyone,” Jessie explained, trying to reassure the girl.

She asked Leila about the facilities.

              “Most of it are still here. The school asked if we could keep the pool for swimming lessons. Since Romans are not fan of water, no one knows how to swim, but that could prevent evitable drownings.”

Jessie looked at the new girl with a smirk. She left Penny at the Principia and went in direction of Mars Field, where she had seen the first cohort was.

She arrived behind Mal, and blocked her eyes with her hands.

              “I don’t know who it is, but I have a weapon in my hand…” Mal said, teasing her, before turning around.

Mal looked at her with a little disappointment. “I didn’t expect you that soon. I thought your conversation with your dad was because he was at a game and you went somewhere with family. How did you place?”

Mal was hesitant with her question, she knew it was not the result the team wanted.

              “Sixth. But you know, now I’m here and I need to train to be a good demigod because I got lucky in a battle last week between two games.”

She showed off some scars she had from her battle that ambrosia had not erase yet. Just to tell how bad it was. “I thought I was going to die. At least, this time, Bev didn’t have to save me, but it was close.”

Jessie asked her out. She made it look like a friendly catching up, because her cohort was around. But the truth is she wanted to surprise the girl. She left her with her cohort training and joined her Latin class that was in her schedule on her phone. She’d disturb the already started class, but Leila knew she had arrived, she couldn’t skip the class now.

She tried being subtle as she opened the door of the class, but obviously, it opened squeaking like crazy. The kind of sound you play on a stereo at Halloween to get on trick or treaters’ nerves! She blushed and mouthed a, “sorry” to the whole class, head down, as she sat on the first empty chair she saw. She tried understanding what was written on the board, but she hated Latin and understood absolutely nothing out of it. Can she be given maths instead? Physics? Please?

She felt like crashing in bed after the class, but she had to prepare for her date. She called in the fanciest restaurant in town. She wanted to treat Mal like she deserved. She knew her girlfriend was a little jealous of Jessie leaving camp for soccer. She wanted to make up for that, even if that wasn’t Jessie’s fault if the first cohort centurions were jerks.

She chose a nice outfit she had, and texted Mal to do the same.

              MP: _it’s that kind of thing? You are really taking me on a date, aren’t you?_

_JF: U expected going for a pizza or something? You know, I wasn’t going to be obvious with all the legionnaires around! But yeah, dress nicely (tho you’re always nice) ;)_

Jessie was pretty sure she made Mal smile. She went in the bathroom to try to do something with her hair, and had to stop herself from calling Mal for help. She didn’t want to tell Jill either, because her friend would ask way too many questions, or worse, spy on them!

A girl in Jessie’s casern ended up entering, and with a shy look, Jessie had no choice to ask. She was one of the oldest of the fourth cohort, and she probably had no interest in the teens’ love affairs. And Jessie recalled her not being a Venus legacy, which was even better.

              “No problem, I’ll help you out. Where are you going tonight? I’m not asking with who, that is not of my business.”

Jessie replied, and the girl couldn’t do anything but approve to the place Jessie had planned on taking Mal to.

              “I hope your man finds you pretty, because you look stunning. A date or a boyfriend?”

Jessie hesitated. Because it was a girl, and because she didn’t really know how to call Mal. It was so recent, calling her a girlfriend to someone else was a bit weird. So she replied they were dating so Alyssa wouldn’t ask any questions.

She then went to knock at Mal’s door. Nervously put a hand in her neck while waiting. The door finally opened, and Mal was wearing a beautiful short red dress. Jessie needed to resist to the urge of kissing her. She saw a couple of guys in the room questioning what they were seeing. If Jessie had been confident on how she identified, she’d have come out right there. _You never seen two girls dating before? Welcome in the 21 st century guys!_

They made their way to the city, where Terminus whistled at them. Seriously? The god guarding the city was very mannered… or not! Stupid old mentality!

It was only there that Jessie took Mal’s hand, sitting at the table. She looked at her with a big smile on her face, desiring her.

              “I don’t know if I told you, but I’m paying, I decided to invite you, you know,” Jessie said when Mal seemed to look at the price on the menu. She added, “take whatever you want, really. Dad gave me some money before I came here.”

They ate their soup looking at each other. Talking about whatever crossed their mind. They seemed to bother a couple sitting next to them, and Jessie had to remind herself to be polite. She just felt like telling them to look away. She wished it wasn’t a problem, but society needed to be more tolerant. She was there and had no plan to hide. Or at least, not when in town. At camp, she was still hesitant, because she feared being teased at by fellow legionnaires.

They ended up sharing dessert, because Jessie couldn’t eat more, or almost. It was a five-service restaurant after all! And she hadn’t train at all the whole day, she wasn’t in need of energy. Her stomach couldn’t handle more. But she had a sweet tooth, and the chocolate cake looked way too appetizing in Mal’s plate that she had to ask to have an additional fork, to what Mal made a little annoyed face. Before laughing. _Phew, Mal was just kidding, she’s doesn’t mind sharing_.

They ended up their night by looking at the sky on the temples hill. They sat on a bench. Usually, Jessie wouldn’t mind about lying directly on the ground, but she was wearing a nice dress, that was maybe not the best idea. They kissed right next to Bellona’s temple. Jessie didn’t even think praying the war goddess to excuse herself, too busy to make out with her girlfriend, hands in her hair.

The background sound they had was people fighting during a game the legion was playing. Capture the flag, known as War Games here. Jessie was happy to skip it. She had had the permission to do so, and she assumed Mal did too, because Jessie had asked her out right in front of her centurion. Though the girl hadn’t asked for permission before replying to Jessie… but she knew sometimes legionnaires went to eat in town, so she assumed there wouldn’t be a problem as long as their centurions were aware of it.

They went back to their barracks late that night.

              “You should sneak into my casern, Jess. I want to go to bed next to you…”

Jessie looked at her with big eyes. Mal was crazy. No one would notice or almost that evening, as they were all in bed since half an hour, but what happens when people find her in Mallory’s bed next morning? No way. She refused the girl’s offer, hoping not to offend her.

They kissed again at the door, not wanting the night to end. Jessie finally pulled away and made a sign to Mal to go. She needed to sleep. Her alarm was going off very early the next morning, and Jessie knew her legs couldn’t support her anymore. Especially that she was wearing nice shoes she had to resist taking them off because her feet were hurting now.

She crashed in bed with a smile on her face, cheeks still blushing. She could still feel Mal’s lips on hers, her hands touching her. She was in love with Mal, and she totally couldn’t deny. She loved her personality, her way to make her blush all the time and Jessie knew how obvious it was, she loved how she looked like. Her way to make her feel loved and desired. It hurt her to refuse to sleep with her, and if it wasn’t the fact it was forbidden, and she wasn’t ready to tell everyone (especially that her closest friends didn’t know), she would have done it. But the camp was dealing with teenagers, they couldn’t allow people sleeping in each other’s bed, they would have too many complaints about people having sex.

 

She woke up the next morning with Jillian’s face looking at her.

              “Where were you last night? I heard you came up with Penny, but I didn’t see you during diner, and you weren’t with us for War Games?”

Jessie decided to half lie. “Was in town for something. Which cohort did Pen… never mind.”

She saw the tall girl getting out of the bed that once belonged to Meredith. She had her answer. She welcomed the girl in the cohort, like any good legionnaire.

              “Thanks. They haven’t told me yet, where I can shower?”

Jessie laughed as she told the Neptune daughter that she’d show her where the baths were. It sucked the building was the opposite way of the camp, but things were so nice there. The atmosphere made Jessie think of spas. And right now, after all those camps and competition days she had, she was very due to go. Her body called for a massage.

 

Jessie’s schedule at camp went back to the normal one. It was tougher for the teen to train with that schedule and she almost missed the times they’d prepare for the Demigod games. But at the same time, you didn’t become a good fighter if you didn’t practice it, and monster knowledge didn’t happen overnight. She just wished she could let go of the freaking Latin. Useless. Jessie didn’t count the number of times Penny or Jill would wake her up in that class. Sometimes, she studied engineering instead. She felt it would be more of use. But it didn’t help her to pass the language exams.

Talking about Penny, she became friend with Jessie, Jillian, Lisa and Mal quite fast. She was an athlete after all, and that made them quite getting along. One day, they showed up at the Principia with a demand.

              “Can we keep the sportive installations? Those are nice training facilities, and it can benefit people living in New Rome too.”

Reyna and Jason looked at each other’s. Buildings were starting to be demolished. Swimming sessions were ending soon, and Penny knew they wouldn’t have another semester of classes in the pool. It was the next one to be taken down. Jessie didn’t want to be mean, but she was still surprised it was not the first one. The stadium didn’t have plans for now for demolition, and Jessie was there wishing.

              “Look, it takes a lot of space on Mars Field. It stays there empty for most of the time. We cannot keep all of this just for your fun. I know you want a place to play soccer, a play to swim, and a place to play basketball, but we cannot agree to everyone’s demands,” Reyna said.

Jessie found it unfair. She knew Camp Half-Blood were doing soccer, basketball and volleyball games between cabins. Why not changing War Games once a month for a sport competition?

The praetors proposed the girls to join in the city’s meeting the following week in the Senate building to discuss about it. “But you’ll be allowed to talk only of we give you permission to,” Reyna warned. She looked like it wouldn’t be happening.

Jessie questioned a bit her actions. A month earlier, she seemed proud to have a Canadian soccer player in her legion and seemed ok to let her go to camps, and now, she wasn’t letting her train and practice at all. What was wrong with Her and Jason?

              “I know it’s disappointing for you girls, but the Senate and ghosts can be… tough to manage. You’ll see what I mean next week, and you’ll understand why I cannot favor you. It’s bad enough that people talk behind our back for letting Jessie go to that World Cup…”

Jessie looked at both praetors. People talked behind her back, as well as Reyna and Jason’s? She wasn’t aware, and she felt bad for them.

They were leaving when the phone in the praetor’s office got heard, and Jason excused himself. A minute later, he was screaming Mal’s name.

Jessie left with the rest of her friends, head down. She was pissed. She kicked a ball at her feet hoping to calm herself down. Hearing the ball bang on the wall felt good. She didn’t go easy on it. It was bad enough that a camper left the building screaming at her.

              “Can you find somewhere else to play it? There’s a freaking stadium for you to go!”

Jessie mumbled something and headed there. She ran the field a couple of times. Practiced some things she could do alone. She missed the U20 team. She missed having teammates.

Mal joined Jessie after about half an hour.

              “I had a call for a camp. I tried talking with Michael, but he’s not very receptive. I’m trying to use the excuse the camp let you go, it is a little unfair for me. Do you think you can help out? Tell them you’ve been away for a whole month and barely got attacked?”

Jessie was happy for Mal, and wished she could do something. She was ready to do anything for the girl she loved. She kissed her, promising to take her side if they wanted her opinion. But she didn’t see herself meeting the first cohort centurion on purpose. He wouldn’t even let her talk if she came up to him uninvited. Michael was that kind of man. Sadly.

 

It took a week before Jessie got to talk to her centurions and praetors about the installations. Reyna said they would demolish the aquatic center, but they could discuss with architechs on having a new pool in the baths, so Penny can train. The athlete was very happy to hear that, but Jessie wondered what size they’d built it, and where in the baths. One sure thing, she doubt it was Olympic size. But to Penny, it was probably better than nothing at all.

Jessie was lucky, the soccer field was in the stadium, and it was most likely what they would keep. Jessie and Mal gave them excuses to keep it. For camp meeting, it was easy to reunite there. Celebrations of some sorts. The city could use it to play, or to reunite when the Senate was too small. Maybe the university could have sports team?

Jessie asked Reyna about that, thinking maybe if she left the legion before her tenth year, she might want to go to university in a safe environment, and still play soccer. Right now, it was a debate between education, or playing professionally. She’d see next year when she gets invitation from different university and she’d have to chose. She was already receiving some. Someone from UCLA staff had met her during the U20 World Cup, and suggested a visit of the university, to see if she liked. But Jessie knew so well she couldn’t commit to anything. Had said she’d think about it. She was still two years from university, no matter what decision was. It gave her time to think, or have a backup plan.

Jessie tried to talk to Reyna about Mal. The leader had been ok for Jessie to leave camp last time, she couldn’t refuse for Mal. There was a way the praetors could convince the centurions, right?

              “I’m sorry, Fleming, but they haven’t talk to us about it, there’s nothing we can do,” she said, her face showing no emotion at all. “If a centurion refuses to give a permission, we are not suppose to get into it and mind our own business. It’s sad they don’t let her, I must admit, but there’s nothing I can do. Consider yourself lucky you both can still train. I see you all want permission to leave for competition and all. I’m open to let Mal go to one, but I’m afraid more than this, I’ll have to talk to the Senate. If it becomes regular, there will be conditions.”

Jessie looked at the woman a bit discouraged. If everyone was afraid of Reyna, Jessie wasn’t. She had never considered the woman threatening. The praetor was usually not showing emotion, it was hard to know what she thought, but Jessie didn’t let that faze her.

She texted Mal to tell her she at least tried. It was up to Michael, now.

 

Days passed, and Mal never got to go to the camp she wished for. She was a little pissed at Jessie. Why was the Canadian having the right when she became a legionnaire the same day, and Mal, after two years of service, couldn’t even go? Jessie understood she was quite jealous. Mal suddenly became so competitive on a Saturday they both skipped a class to train. Jessie felt like the American wanted to make her pay, and if they weren’t a couple, she probably would have tried hurting her physically.

              “I think I got the message, can you stop? I have the impression you want to kill me. You haven’t talk to me at all today, except ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’, and I don’t like this attitude. What happened to the funny and positive Mallory Pugh I know? Can we talk about it?”

The girl stopped playing with the ball. Rolled her eyes. Jessie didn’t like it. She didn’t want to fight with her. She wasn’t the one to blame!

              “If you take it like that, I can play this game too, but you know it will be no help. You are better having me by your side. But if it’s how you want to pass the message you need some alone time, fine. When you’ll be calmer and realise you shouldn’t be mad at me, you know where to find me.”

Jessie’s tone was very dry. She wished Mal realised she was hurting her. She didn’t deserve that jealousy. It wasn’t her fault, and she wanted her girlfriend to understand that.

 

She decided to go for a run instead of playing wit the ball. Being alone would probably help her clear her mind, and running was a good was to escape her thoughts. She ran around the protected limits of the city. She missed running, and she was just realising that. She jogged longer than expected, and when she looked at the time, she would miss a second class after going to the baths. Oops. But she needed that time to decompress. If Leila or Josh talked, she’d tell them. She was still a teenager, and sometimes, she needed time for herself, alone. They couldn’t blame her too, right?

She crossed Leila in the baths. She didn’t recall if the class she had was training. If so, it was apparently already over.

              “I barely see you today. Skipping classes once more?”

Jessie apologized for missing the last one.

              “I had a little fight with Mal, and I didn’t want to see anyone. I know I’m most likely to get in trouble when I do that, but I really have difficulty to adapt to the schedule. I know I’ll be called again for camps, and I want to go, I want to be still good at soccer when I have the call.”

              “I know, and you all have free time every two days to do things like playing soccer. We play a game against a made-up team of University or Rome every Thursday starting next week, will it be enough for you? Don’t tell anyone, it’ll be announced tonight.”

              “I need to train everyday, Leila,” Jessie said before realising she’d have a team. “But seriously? The team we had in Demigod Games? We will have games against students? Cool!”

Leila nodded with a smile, but it fades as she said.

              “It’s your training and credibility you put in jeopardy when you do skip class. At the end of the day, if you miss more than I think ten more classes, we’ll have to refuse you the next camp you get called to. Maybe that’s why Mal can’t go? Have you asked her?”

Jessie paled. Mal was skipping as many classes than her lately. Not always at the same time, but still. She asked by texto the number of times she missed one. Showed the number to Leila.

              “The praetors gave us a secret number of classes our legionnaire can skip if excused. That is under the number she wrote. Maybe that’s why. That, if you don’t do anything else on the wrong list, because we obviously add it.”

Jessie learned the bad news to her girlfriend.

              “And does it reset?”

Leila nodded, but didn’t say when, and it frustrated Jessie to know that.

              “How do I get to train more, if I cannot skip by a couple more than five? If I reach my limit, when will I be free to go away from here?”

Leila didn’t seem to answer.

              “I can’t really tell you, skipping classes is not something right. I’m not even supposed to have mention a number of times before being in trouble. You were supposed to think three was too much. That said, I have a Senate meeting next week, maybe I can ask the praetors to have a new subject. I know you hate Latin classes and fall asleep in half the classes. Maybe we could have it replaced for you and Mal by soccer time, and making it fit in both your schedule? But I doubt the Senate will agree. And Michael is a senator too…”

Jessie took a deep breath. Why was Leila always giving her false hope? Like when she told her she might be able to go to a camp, and she only got the ok on the day the camp started? Now she knew she was on the limit to leave the camp next time. She nodded to her centurion, and took her things to go shower. She put it a little warmer than usual. Warm water made her feel better when she was mad. Today was that kind of day. She just wanted to go in her bed and take a nap, so the day could end faster. But instead, she had a task to do next. Washing the elephant, if she was not mistaken. Ugh.

 

A couple of days after the Senate meeting, she still hadn’t got any news from Leila. She didn’t want to ask, scared it would be a “no”, but at the same time, she didn’t want to het her hopes up. Mal hadn’t really talk to Jessie yet, their friends knew they had fought, so Jessie couldn’t really count on her to make her feel better. Jessie was scared to lose her girlfriend. Jill and Penny couldn’t say anything to make her smile, they just thought it was a friend. Lisa had taken Mal’s side, claiming Jessie leaving in July was unfair. 

Jessie decided she had enough. Mal was her girlfriend, and they had to find a way to get that jealousy behind. Jessie sat down next to her during diner, while Penny sat the other side of Mal, so she couldn’t leave like that.

              “What?”

              “I don’t like you not talking to me. I miss you. Can we please go back to us being friends? This jealousy you feel is not healthy, and I look at you from far and I know you’re not happy either.”

Mal looked at her plate. Made a little smile.

              “I pushed it a little far, didn’t I?

Jessie made big eyes. It had been a couple of weeks now. Mal took a deep breath.

              “Ok, but if you get call again, can you try not brag about it? It’s just tough for me.”

Jessie nodded, “I never bragged about it and you know that.”

Mal started laughing for no reason, leaving the two Ontarians confused. When they questioned her, she just shrugged.

              “I think I’m just tired. I haven’t sleep well last night. I thought I had lost you, J. I’m glad I didn’t.”

Jessie made a little smile and blushed. It had been a while she hadn’t done it, and for once, she was happy about blushing. Things would get better. She just wished she could finally have news from Leila.

Penny let them alone, suggesting they had to do a little catching up and apologizing, and Jessie subtilty took Mal’s hand.

              “I miss you too, by the way,” Mal said. “I’m very sorry. I didn’t realise I was hurting you until a couple of days ago, but I guess I was too egoist to come to you.”

              “I love you. And I’m sorry if I made you jealous, it is never something I wanted. I swear if it could help you go out, I would. I just wish Leila could tell us about how the Senate meeting went.”

It was Mal’s turn to question Jessie. She was about to talk when they were interrupted by a girl with blond hair. Jessie turned to see who it was.

              “To answer your question, Jessie, I asked the praetors before the Senate, and they didn’t add it to the meeting. They have to discuss it first. Don’t expect results before like… two or three months. SO please, the two of you, don’t skip any more classes, it is not advantaging you.”

Jessie felt disappointment. She knew she was a very demanding demigod. She couldn’t deny. But her dreams were so close and so far at the same time. She wished people could understand that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted this chapter sooner than expected. I already had a good part of it written, but it's not the case for the rest of the chapters. Sorry in advance if the next updates take longer.   
> Last chapter, I said I didn't really know where I wanted my story to go and asked you to comment. I try having as many moments with Mal as possible and get more into the feelings Jessie has for her, but their relation was not in the beginning the main thing happening in the story (being honest, I didn't plan to ship them in the first place), so I try adding place for more. If you have suggestions on what could happen with Mal and Jessie, please comment. The only thing I know is that I won't write sex parts.   
> I still wonder if I should explain more in details how things work at camp Jupiter, demigod stuff and all. If you're a Percy Jackson fan, let me know, if you aren't and are lost sometimes, tell me where, and I’ll reply to the comments.  
> For next chapter, the only thing i can tell you, there are some cute moments, and it may or may not be with Mallory Pugh.  
> On that, I don't think I mentioned it, but English is not my first language. So if sentences don't make sense or I translated literally an expression from French that doesn't exist in English, here's the reason why. That's actually why I have an original character Ann-Sophie a couple of chapters ago (and see part 3 of series) who is from Québec.


	7. I thought John Herdman was intimidating, but try defending your case with traditional ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessie will finally go to a senate meeting. Will the ghosts listen and agree to the athletes demands? And Jessie starts to worry about family stuff. She questions why her sister never answers her calls. Is she ok? Also, things with Mal gets better than the previous weeks...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is quite long, I think it's my longest. But i promise this will get more interresing as the chapter goes. The title doesn't really fits what it ended up being, like i said in previous chapters, when i planned this out, Jessie and Mal wasn't supposed to be a thing. I've included a couple of moments between those two that might put a little smile on faces. I hinted some cute moments, and i ended with more than planned... and not only with Mal!

Jessie was on the phone with her dad, and was starting to lose patience. Two days in a row she called home, and that Elysse didn’t want to talk to her.

              “What’s the problem, dad? You know, she can use the demigod phone you bought, there shouldn’t be a problem. Just pass her the damn cellphone, I miss hearing my sister’s voice…”

Her dad sighed. It was not the phone problem, her nine-year-old sister was busy. Jessie rolled her eyes. Yesterday, she had called when she was in the shower and her father had hung up before she had the time to finish using the bathroom, telling to call another day. But now, her sister was playing and didn’t care. Just great.

Jessie talked to her mother instead. She missed home. She just wanted to book a flight, but she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t leave the camp at will, and she wanted to keep it for soccer, even if it hurt not to see her family.

She asked if her brother had the number of the praetor’s office. Tristan not being a demigod, he didn’t own the right type of cellphone for Jessie to call from her phone. And she didn’t know his schedule, she didn’t want to disturb him in the middle of a class.

              “He has your number, I’ll tell him to call you tonight before he goes to bed, like usual? He doesn’t have a class right now, but you mentioned having something soon.”

It was War Games that night, and a soccer game against New Rome University the next two days, so he had to call a little earlier than previously. “Between 8 and 10 for him works well for me this week.”

She told her mother she loved her, and hung up. She had sword fighting lesson starting in ten, she couldn’t stay on the phone. And she couldn’t go in the praetor’s office even if she just wanted to call Tristan now, she had tested Leila’s limits a little too much lately. Jessie was behaving like the perfect roman legionnaire in the past week. Trying to make up for her mistakes she made by skipping classes.

Two days later, she was taking the last bite in her plate when Reyna tapped on her shoulder.

              “You have a call. Tristan Fleming, I assume it’s your brother?”

Jessie left her plate in Penny’s hand and ran to the principia. At least someone who called her back in this family! She was still waiting for her father’s number, aka Elysse, to appear on her phone screen.

              “Hey little sis, how are you? It’s been a while we haven’t talk,” Tristan said. He looked happy.

She told him she missed him. She had seen him in Toronto when she played her first game with Canada in August. Six weeks ago. But she was homesick lately. She asked him how his classes were going. She was trying to avoid talking about her. He didn’t know she was a demigod, she had to pay attention to what she was saying. He thought she was in a good soccer program in California, she couldn’t complain about her lack of training to him.

              “I’m happy you’re calling back. I let the message to mom to have both you and Elysse to call me two days ago, and I’m wondering if Elysse listened.”

She explained the situation to her older brother. He let a nervous laugh.

              “If I was you, I wouldn’t wait for Elysse to call back. I haven’t been able to talk to her for the last… two weeks? It looks like she is in a phase where she doesn’t want to talk to her siblings! I just don’t recognise her. Mom and dad don’t seem to be worried about it, but I’m almost wondering if something’s up with her.”

Jessie couldn’t help but worrying. Her sister usually wants to steal the phone from her parents’ hands when Jessie or Tristan calls. And Jessie realised it had been a while since she had her on the phone. Was she mad at them for leaving home? Did something happened at school that Elysse didn’t want to talk about and knew they’d ask about it? Jessie was trying to figure out what could go through the nine-year-old kid’s mind.

She talked for about fifteen minutes with Tristan before she heard Penny’s voice behind her. The Neptune girl had told her she’d get her when diner time would be over.

              “I have to go, but I want you to know I love you. I hope I’ll see you soon. If you have the chance to talk to Elysse, can you tell her I love her? I’ll do the same for you if she calls me back.”

It was now a habit for Jessie to tell “I love you” before hanging up every call. She never knew what could happen to her. She could die anytime. The last things she said on the phone (or in person when she could) always had to be positive. Just in case. She didn’t want to think about how things could go wrong, but it was still in the back of her mind. And especially when she felt homesick like now.

 

The next morning, Leila woke her up early. What was going on?

              “We have a Senate meeting right after breakfast. You, Penny and Mallory are invited as guesses. But you won’t be allowed to talk unless Reyna gives you the permission to do so. Is it clear?”

Jessie was a little too asleep to understand what was going on. Why was she a guess? Were they finally discuss about facilities, training sessions and permission to leave camp? She didn’t get the time to ask questions, though, Leila was already gone. Wow! Thanks, centurion!

Jessie couldn’t help but feeling nervous. Reyna had let Jessie know that Senate meetings were demanding. She didn’t know what to expect. Ghosts not agreeing, probably. People not taking her side was something Jessie assumed could happen. They talked a little about that in the dining hall.

              “At least, this time, they let us go. I wonder what decision will be made,” Mal said. “The ghosts and the fact both my centurions are senators preoccupy me, though. They’ll be though to convince if we have a chance to hear about our demands.”

If it was why they were going there. They didn’t have the agenda of the meeting. Jessie couldn’t help but being stressed as they went in direction of the city. Terminus stopped them one after the other. He was surprised to see the trio coming in.

The Senate was a building Jessie found very beautiful. She loved the architecture of New Rome. But this particular place was outstanding. And entering inside felt the same. It was very roman, like most things around town. No matter how many times the legion had moved over the years, they always built the city about the same way, used the same materials, the same architectural styles. It fascinated Jessie. But she was not there to analyse the building, she was there to assist to a meeting. Her interest in architecture and engineering was to put aside at the moment. Later, exploring the surroundings.

They sat on chairs Reyna designated them. She could feel Mal being as nervous as her. She whispered, “I love you” in her ear discreetly as they sat down. Penny was shaking. None of them felt at ease there. They could see everyone entering and looking at them. They didn’t belong in there. They looked at the seats filling as ghosts and people living in the city came over. Most centurions were there, except Hazel and Frank. They didn’t have enough years of service to be eligible to the Senate. Instead, two legionnaires, one from the second cohort and the other from the fifth if Jessie recalled correctly. Leila and Josh were not even looking at them.

Reyna opened the meeting. A ghost asked why there were intruders.

              “We will discuss a topic that interest them, and they will give their opinion if needed. Now, everyone of you has been given the agenda. Does someone want to add something before we start?”

It looked painful for the woman to ask the question. Like she expected them to say something that wouldn’t please her. 

A man looking to be in his fifties raised his hand.

              “What is the point 6, Athlete legionnaires?”

Jason looked at his colleague, and replied, “We are not discussing about the topic yet. You’ll see when were there. We asked if you add things to add, not to remove.”

Jessie thought to herself that if the meeting started this way, she could understand why Reyna didn’t like much Senate councils. It looked like total pain! The agenda got accepted like presented, and Reyna resumed the last meeting. The pool installations had been voted to destruction, replace by one in the Baths. Jason added the plans were currently made. Jessie lost it for the other topics, no clue what they were about. Camp finances and city preoccupations.

After half an hour, Jessie realised ghosts were very not open-minded. They wanted to keep things how they always worked. Traditional. A small change to something that didn’t seem to matter could take ten minutes to discuss. Reyna was keeping a straight face the whole time, but Jessie knew that in her mind, she probably had rolled her eyes ten times up to now. Jason, as well as some senate members from the legion, did a couple of times, but they weren’t presiding the meeting.

The point 6 finally came. Jessie was very nervous. Way more than for an important game. Reyna explained that there were athletes with a lot of potential in the legion. She asked the trio of “intrudes” to stand up. Reyna presented them. She denied someone who asked how many years of service they had. Jessie had to take a deep breath, and she noticed the praetor to do the same. Why does that detail was always brought up? Did it matter that much? Reyna continued like if she hadn’t been interrupted.

              “Up to now, they all had calls for national team camps or competition. We had to refuse a few of them, but that doesn’t stop their coach to want them, obviously. Last meeting, I’ve asked you to vote on letting them go or not. Obviously, it would come with conditions. Jason and I have made them with all our centurions. We could add more if you suggest, but they will have to be voted by us before. Here are what we decided, and it’s pretty much what we’ve asked them up to now: Defending demigod met outside of here, not bringing attention to us, not talking about Camp Jupiter, not showing cellphones and pictures. Does anyone have other things?”

A ghost asked how often the athletes left the camp and how long they were away, to vote more clearly. Jessie took Mal’s hand to give some hope.

              “It depends, I’ve seen a week to a month. Jessie seams to be the most called one, she is still on the U17 team, made her first U20 tournament this summer, and mentioned the senior team coach is looking at her. It can make lots of absence.”

              “How will they keep up with the missing time? Can they stay in the legion longer than ten years, to retake the months of absence?” someone in the higher row asked.

Jessie sighed. It was bad enough she considered leaving before her tenth year of service, now he wanted to add more? Come on! How much time would she be at camp? 12 years? 15? She would never play college soccer, for sure! In ten years, she’d be already too old…

Ghosts seemed to like the new condition. Reyna had a pensive look. Jason seemed to be alright with the proposition. Most senators said they’d vote yes only if they accepted to stay longer around camp. Jessie was disappointed with that decision, knowing she was trapped, but it would mean she can go to the camps. She tried not to show how she felt, but she was nervous, and felt a little bit of anger coming up.

              “If we didn’t add the time, how many people vote yes?”

A few hands only got raised. Reyna asked the question again, this time adding the condition she had not discussed with her colleagues. Someone counted. They had two thirds. Jessie looked at Mal and Penny with a smile. Reyna cleared her voice,

              “The process before leaving will not change. The centurions will have to approve before submitting the motive of absence to Jason and I, who will take the final decision. Now we voted they could leave, I have another point to discuss. Our camp training is not made for soccer or swimming training. We had a suggestion to either add free time in the schedule, or let them skip Latin class, that the three of them seem to agree on hating it.”

Jessie wondered why the schedule couldn’t just be change like that. It was the senate that decided what kind of training they had? And it never changed in the last hundreds of years, Jessie could bet.

The senate became suddenly very noisy. From what Jessie could hear, it was not positive. They could tolerate legionnaire leaving times to times, but having different schedule than anybody, it wasn’t welcome. _Why would they have such privilege? Why changing something like this now? Legionnaires are supposed to follow a strict schedule, if we give permission now, what will be asked next?_ was things Jessie was able to distinguish in the noise. She tried not showing how disappointed she was.

Reyna invited Leila to give her opinion on that, and explain the demand. The pride to represent a country was brought up. Having demigod on national team level could make the legion proud. But Jessie, Mal and Penny needed to get there. With appropriate training. Jessie smiled at her centurion. Leila was listening to her, after all! But she saw most of the senate members questioning the arguments, making faces, and felt it would not be positive, this time.

The praetor said the vote would be for the next meeting. Jessie was shaking. Scared. She felt trapped in this building. Trapped in this camp. She liked being in Jupiter Camp, but she hated it at the same time. No, she hated the stupid rules, and the ghosts. The were so close to change! They didn’t understand how proud Reyna and Leila seemed to be when they talked about their athletes. The both of them mentioned how they won that many medals during the competition in the summer. _Because of talented legionnaires_.

Reyna closed the meeting on that. The Senate ambiance was way too messy to continue, and the following topic could be postponed without any problem. Jessie stood up at the same time than everyone else. Went in direction of the exit. The sunlight felt good on her face.

              “That was a… weird meeting,” Penny said.

Jessie bit her lips. The senate didn’t please her. Becoming a senator after her fifth year of service? No thanks! She didn’t even want her name to be on the list of eligible legionnaires. If there were people she couldn’t stand, it was the close-minded one. And ghosts who had lived during the roman empire were the worst of traditional close-minded!

Jessie looked at the time. Her next thing on her schedule was more than half an hour later, due to Senate council finishing earlier than planned. She proposed to her girlfriend and Penny to go in a café to discuss the new condition they had to follow.

              “Uh, if I can leave. Michael has refused up to now, I don’t see how it would change.”

Reyna interrupted them.

              “Can I join you, girls? There are things I haven’t mentioned to them, especially with how it turned out, but you may want to know.”

Jessie was curious, so she agreed. They went to a café not so far, and the praetor ordered a hot chocolate. Jessie went with a simple coffee, the senate meeting had left her brain a little off, and she was in need of caffeine.

              “I’ll be honest, I wish they hadn’t asked about redoing the time you miss from camp. I saw all your face, you all probably wish you didn’t have ten years to do, so more… Jessie, I cannot deny that I noticed colleges starts recruiting you, and I know you probably want to go. The same probably applies the two of you too,” Reyna said, looking at Penny and Mal.

Jessie didn’t really have the choice but to nod discreetly. Reyna was not stupid. And her two automaton dogs under the table were preventing her to even think about denying. They were programmed to detect lies. She didn’t want to die in this café because of her ego.

              “There is one demigod that I’m aware that as left camp before her tenth year of service. I think she stayed less than five. To go in NCAA. We hadn’t seen her since, the senate wanted us to ban her, but I know she stayed in the State of California, in case something happened. She did athletism there, but she also played hockey.”

              “So we’ll be banned if we leave?” Penny asked.

Reyna had a little smile.

              “I’ll do my best not, but you’ll probably need to do a couple more years here before we have that discussion again. The demigod that left came back in August. The girl who drove you here, Penny. Sami Jo Small. She is a goaltender for a Toronto team, and has represented Canada at the Olympics, she told me. I had the chance to talk to her, ask her how her experience of being an athlete in this camp was. She left way before I got here, I had only heard rumours about a banned demigod.”

Jessie was wondering why Reyna was talking about Small. What did the woman tell the praetor?

              “She told me she had wished New Rome University had a team in the NCAA. Her idea is not stupid. You could study safely, and play at the same time. I met a couple of people in the University, and they don’t hate the idea. That’s why I defended your case of keeping the facilities in place. I just couldn’t tell you when you asked, but all along in the Senate meetings following your demand, I was taking your sides. If we get a NCAA team, we will try to change the rules, so athletes can finish their playing eligibility before reaching 25. I think it would be the only way you leave camp early and get to represent your country. I’ll try my best, at least, to get things there.”

Jessie had a big smile. New Rome University seemed to be a nice place to study. And since campers saw basics of engineering while at Camp, she was pretty sure the program was pushing even further. Jessie wondered if you could finish a bachelor program with the knowledge of a master degree. Because otherwise, students were probably bored. And it all would be in safe territory. Totally appealing for the demigods. UCLA and other universities trying to have her on their team all looked nice, but Jessie would never be safe there. She could be attacked any time.

Jessie wondered how Reyna planned on getting a team, but a look at the time, and the Canadian realised she was running out of time. She thanked the praetor for the meeting, and left in direction of the camp with Penny. Direction: Mars field, where her cohort were practicing formations. Romans always attacked in group here. Discipline was one of the most important values for the legion, and it was not Jessie’s strength. Or at least, not concerning the army. On soccer, on studying, Jessie was more disciplined, but fighting and keeping position while doing so was not her best asset.

 

Jessie didn’t get much time to rethink about Reyna during the day. She was busy fighting, listening in class, practicing soccer. But as she was in bed, awake in the middle of the night, she realised she could get implicated in the meetings with the University. She had to propose it to Reyna. If they were two, it could be easier to find arguments. Jessie was, she thought about herself, a good example of success. She had made the U17 at 14. She was tested by the U20 program at age of 16. John Herdman was thinking of having her on the senior team for a friendly.

At breakfast, she looked at the centurions’ table, to noticed Reyna wasn’t there. Jessie realised she wasn’t at the legionnaire countdown that morning either. Jessie was disappointed, but Reyna was probably just sick, nothing to worry, right? Jason looked more serious than before, but it was probably just no one said a funny thing at their table. He seemed in a serious conversation with Frank Zhang, fifth cohort centurion.

Two days passed, and no one had seen Reyna. She seemed to be hiding in her casern. People all assumed she had a virus. Jessie decided she had enough, and went to the Principia, hoping Jason was aware of the meetings with the University. The last thing she expected was to see Frank sitting on Reyna’s chair.

              “You are the interim praetor when Reyna is sick?” Jessie questioned.

Frank seemed a little uneased.

              “Reyna will be on a leave for a couple of months, probably. We plan on announcing it tonight, so please don’t say a word about it.”

Jessie wondered if it had to do with the Greek demigod a camper had seen leaving Reyna’s casern. Jessie thought it was a doctor or something, and was a little worried now. Why was Reyna away from her duty? Was she in depression? Badly injured? She seemed ok the day of the Senate council, but Reyna was not someone to tell about how she felt to everyone that wanted to hear. Did she actually talk to anyone about her feelings? Reyna and Jason seemed quite close, Jessie assumed he was the one she confides to, but at the same time, he was a colleague, do you tell everything to your colleagues?

She didn’t ask questions about the praetor, knowing it was better to mind her own business. Jason arrived, and she asked if he had heard about meetings with University of New Rome. He had a questioning look. “Never mind, I guess it’ll wait when Reyna comes back.”

She almost asked if the woman was ok, but she would be sitting at Frank’s spot if she were. She went back to her casern to change before soccer practice with a sad face. She hoped Reyna would be back soon. She didn’t want to wait too long before starting university. She was supposed to go in two years, how much time would it take to convince the stupid ghost of changing camp rules that existed since go figure how many centuries? She joined her team on the field, and Leila noticed something was up. Jessie made a sign to let go, and as soon as she touched the ball, the smile came back on her face. She loved sports, she loved football, and no one could take that from her.

 

After her training, she was still disappointed because the one person at camp involved in the NCAA meeting was on a break, so Jessie tried calling home. The tension was coming back, and she felt anger coming up from the day’s news, as well as the ghosts demanding she stayed in this camp longer. She felt the voice of her parents would help. She needed to let her anger go, and sadly, her dad was the chosen one, being the one answering. She knew if she talked about it with Mal, the only thing it would do was getting angrier, because she’d probably felt the same way if she knew. Jessie wanted the announcement about Reyna’s absence to be made before telling her. But she couldn’t help but wondering if they’d have the chance to give their opinion and participate in meetings. Who will represent the camp?

Her dad found some good words to calm her down a bit. First of all, he didn’t feel like being screamed at. He was right. He told her that the meetings would continue anyway, and maybe she had still a chance to be involved. Jessie smiled. She just had to find the person Reyna talked to. She had no clue how.

Once she calmed down, she asked to talk to Elysse. She hadn’t talked to her for a while. And hadn’t really got lucky the last times, she was away.

              “Sorry, honey, she has… uh, a party or something at a friend.”

              “It’s been so long I haven’t talked to her! A party, really?”

Her father didn’t say anything. She was very disappointed. She felt it wasn’t her day. She wanted to hear her sister’s voice. Know how school was going. Catching up with her life. If she had been at a friend just to hang out, Jessie would have asked the number, but if it was a birthday party, she knew Elysse wouldn’t want to be on the phone very long. It was good if she had more than a “I’m doing well, but I need to go, bye.”

She went to her usual training. The whole legion was supposed to be in Mars field in half an hour for the same training. Practicing formation and tactics in case of attacks. Jessie didn’t mind those at all. For once, it would keep her mind out of all the things happening. Reyna. Elysse not calling her back, the freaking Senate Jessie hated.

In the afternoon, she had a little bit of time where she got to see Mal. It had been a while since they were only the two of them. She was still unsure about telling their friends they were dating, so they never really realised they were bothering them. Jessie could be to blame, she never really made it known she wanted to spend time with only Mal, scared things would get too obvious.

It wasn’t a date or anything. The time they spend together was at the tunnel’s entrance, guarding up. It was a boring task. Most of the time, nothing would happen. You were just armed from head to toes, looking at the cars passing in front of you. But she could talk with Mal, and hold her hand with no one knowing. Sadly, it was impossible to kiss with their armor on. After a boring half an hour, she decided to tell her about what she learned that morning.

              “Is she ok, do you know what happened?” Mal said with a worried tone.

              “Frank and Jason were pretty silent on why. They will tell the legion the bad news tonight, but I doubt they tell what is going on with her.”

Mal made a little sad smile.

              “I didn’t tell you that, one of my roommates saw a Greek camper entering and getting out of the casern a couple of time. He thinks he is dating Reyna. I assumed he was a medic or something, but Max swears the boy is a son of Vulcan, not Apollo. It makes things a little weird.”

Jessie shrugged. She was not very interested by the rumours. And even if Reyna dated a guy, what did it change? Except the fact that if he had come from Half-Blood Camp, it was probably serious.

Jessie was happy when Jill and Lisa showed up. Jessie was starting to be nauseous, after an hour and half at looking at the cars. She was happy when she saw the light at the end of the tunnel, in the valley where the camp was. It took her a few minutes to get used to the sun and the light, but she felt better still. She wished her headache from the traffic would go away fast enough.

The whole legion regrouped for diner, and Jessie expected Jason to announce the absence of Reyna. She thought they’d be silent on the reason why, especially if it was something like a depression, or sickness. But Jessie was far from the truth. Very far. Everyone looked at each other before Jason explained,

              “She wanted you to know what was going on. Reyna had a baby two days ago. You’re probably all thinking how it happened, because I too was troubled when she told me. Juventas hid her pregnancy with the mist for a reason she didn’t tell. She had no clue herself that she was pregnant. Frank will take over her praetor duties until she is ready to come back. In case you wonder, Reyna and the baby are both doing great. A little shocked for the mother, but she’s fine. And Lena is a healthy little girl.”

Jessie’s jaw dropped. Reyna was a mother? She wasn’t surprised Reyna didn’t know, she looked flat just like Jessie. Why did the goddess hide such thing? It was weird… Jessie shivered. Could the god play with their mental like this, without demigod doubting anything?

 

The next days were pretty usual stuff. Jessie kept her phone in her pockets at all time. She had asked her father to pass the message to her sister to call back, once again. She expected the call the Sunday, but they were now Tuesday and still nothing. She started to wonder if Elysse was mad at her. She wished she could text Tristan to ask if he heard anything from their little sister, but he was not a demigod, she couldn’t text him. Her dad had ordered himself a demigod phone on Amazon to reach her if needed, but Tristan still didn’t know about his sister being one. He didn’t know his mother wasn’t Jessie’s, while Jessie had known for a while. When she learned she was a demigod, she already knew her father had cheated. He had told her months ago by mistake, and had asked the silence. Her mom obviously knew now, but not her siblings. And she didn’t feel like going to the Principia to call him. He already told her he couldn’t reach Elysse either, what else could he say?

On Tuesday, she decided to call home again. It was about an hour after school ended, in London. She talked with her mortal mother, the one she still called mom (the other one was Victoria, no matter what), about upcoming soccer camps she heard of, demigod training, before risking the question her mother probably knew was coming. It was not her fault if she missed her little sister! She wasn’t as homesick than in the previous week, but she still wanted to hear from the kid.

              “Ask your dad, I don’t really know how she is doing today, I haven’t seen her,” her mother replied. Uh? Why? How did her mom not know how Elysse was doing? She had taken a day off work and slept in while Elysse prepared for school?

              “Mom, _where_ is Elysse? How many times I’ve called, now? She’s never there! Like, seriously, where the hell is she right now? Isn’t she back from school? Did I miscalculate the time zones and called too early?” Jessie started to be mad. Three weeks, if not more, that she hadn’t heard of her sister, except that she was always at friends.

              “She stayed after school to either extracurricular activities or to have help for homework? I don’t know, honey, I am sick, and your dad told me he’d pick her up at school today. And you know, she starts wanting to see her friends more and all. And she also has her running competition coming up, she trains a lot for that.”

Oh. That explained why her mom hadn’t see her today. But she started feeling like it wasn’t her sister. Her sister would usually call back. Jessie felt worried, now. The words of her father came back in her mind, _I don’t know for Elysse. But I cheated on your mom around that time, but at the same time, your mom was pregnant of her_. Her sister having the possibility to be a demigod scared her. It started to be in the back of her mind. Especially since Tristan told her he hadn’t talk to her in the last month. Jessie gave a deadline for her call.

              “Tell Elysse to call back before going to bed. I’ll be just finishing my meal, you know, California time. And please, can you force her, I’ve been waiting on her for weeks, now!”

Her mother let a very not convincing, uh-uh. She felt her mother hid something to her. Or maybe she was just not feeling well and didn’t have the energy to fight with any of her daughters. But it had been a couple of weeks Elysse never called back to any of her calls. And was never there when Jessie called, no matter what time of the day it was. Like Elysse didn’t live with them!

She realised coming back from the field that night, that she didn’t have any missed calls. It was now 9 PM, in New Rome. It was a week day, she wasn’t sure calling home would be a good idea. It was way passed bedtime for everyone in Ontario. And even worse, her mother was sick. But she missed her little sister voice more than anything. In the last weeks, she would be satisfied with hearing her parents’ voice, or calling with a regular phone Tristan. But she felt she needed to hear the child’s voice now. She had moments like that when she really missed family. She missed being in London. She almost missed the arguing with her sister, damnit! She was starting to wonder if her sister was mad at her for real, now. Maybe she learned Jessie was a demigod and was jealous? Seriously, it was so dangerous there was nothing to be jealous of, but… she was a kid. Fighting monsters and stuff was something that looked nice from cartoons and movies. Elysse was probably too young to understand the implications of it.

She went to sleep, and she went through most of her next day thinking about anything else. She went to the New Rome University gym very early in the morning. She thought she had woken up the god guarding the city, Terminus! Then, she had some classes. Latin, engineering and cleaning the stables. The first one was hard and boring. The second, Jessie totally loved it, that was a subject she loved and felt like maybe studying. Cleaning the stables was a task she hated. She was happy when it was time for lunch! After diner, she had free time for about two hours before another class she couldn’t recall what it was. She knew she’d use her free time for soccer. She had asked if the field was used. There was a phys. ed. class there, but they’d use the tracks, and maybe a portion of the field. It gave plenty of space for Mal and Jessie. And maybe more people if they wanted to join.

When she left the locker room with her girlfriend, she noticed the group of 9-11 years old. They were talking about Jupiter camp. The children living in town were coming to camp at age of 12, so for those kids, it was only a couple of school years away. They looked at the legion with big eyes. Jessie found it normal. It’s like she had grown up next to a professional women’s soccer team, wanting to play for them once adult. She smiled while looking at them. They were her sister’s age.

              “You’re ok?” Mal asked, hand on Jessie’s shoulder.

              “Yeah. I just thought of Elysse. Still haven’t been able to reach her.”

Mal made a little smile. Kissed her on the cheeks, because except close friends, no one knew they were together. Jessie blushed before dropping the ball from her hands.

              “Want to make some passes to warm up?”

The American laughed. Jessie was always competitive. Even if it was her girlfriend. Even if it was just a training. Jessie’s end goal was to be on the national senior team, no less. And win medals and be world champion. She wouldn’t reach her goal if she stayed there doing nothing!

She noticed at some point Frank Zhang coming in, from far, with a child that made her think so much of Elysse. With blond short hair, it could have been a boy, but her t-shirt was very pink and purple that she doubted it was. Frank was not hard to recognize with his new praetor’s uniform, and Jessie wondered what he was doing there. Was the girl a student that had ran away from the teacher or what?

Frank let the group when Jessie called a break. He seemed to be looking at them playing for five minutes, and when the players stopped, he came by them.

              “I like seeing you girls play. I’m always impressed by your talent. I don’t know what was Reyna’s plan to let you play the most soccer she could give you, but I’ll try continuing with what she had in mind. I should meet her at some point for that, but right now I just want her to recover from the birth.”

The soccer players smiled. Was the NCAA case not lost?

              “Thanks. Who is the girl who was with you? Is it a legionnaire or just a New Rome habitant that was lost?”

              “It’s actually a new camper. She’ll be presented tonight, Jas’ and I just finished interviewing her. But she is nine years old and today was mostly advanced class for everyone, so it didn’t feel right to put her with anyone, poor girl, it would just scare her! Presenting her to people her age who will be here in the next years felt wiser,” he said with a little smile.

Jessie was a bit curious on why he grinned. But she didn’t ask anything about the girl, she’d know her name and where she was from at the same time than anyone else.

Frank added he had also done this for the girl because some people have complained on how not progressive the camp put the young demigods arriving from everywhere in the legion. Miika had a hard time adjusting, especially that she spoke only Finnish at first. Jessie recalled the girl being Elysse’s age. Frank wished they’d have done things differently with her. Like, she could have done half legion, half going to school in town at first.

After practice, Jessie and Mal still had a little bit of free time. They decided to go to the temples hill to hang out, and look at the view at the same time. They stopped in the city to buy a coffee before climbing the hill and sitting directly on the ground. Jessie checked if the grass was wet. The last thing she wanted was staining her pants with a green spot on her butt!

              “You looked quite curious at practice. You were always looking at that child group. I’ve never seen you as distracted,” Mal pointed out.

Jessie hadn’t realised how much she had done it.

              “Every time I’m thinking about anything else than Elysse, something come up and I just want to call her. I don’t know what to do more with her. It’s not easy. I wish my parents could at least give me a reason she doesn’t call back. I’m almost wondering if they even tell her. Like, is it her that doesn’t want to talk to me, or it’s my parents who don’t tell her? I’m almost wondering if she is at home at all!”

              “Maybe she is just busy and forgets to call you back or think you are busy. Or she doesn’t miss you yet. And why would she not be home? You are the only demigod in the family, you told me, she cannot have gone missing, right? You parents would have told you.”

Jessie bit her lips. Her dad had confessed his cheating. And Jessie was now worried Elysse was somewhere between San Francisco and Jupiter camp. Training with Lupa? Jessie preferred not thinking about it. She couldn’t have her sister being a demigod just like her.

“I just wish she is not a demigod, but even dad doesn’t know. Ann-Sophie told me her friend Alina was born from a mortal, but her mother was Hebe. What if Victoria did it?”

Mal tried to console her girlfriend. There was nothing more to say. Mal couldn’t know if Elysse was, especially she didn’t meet her. She hugged Jessie from aside, and it was what the Canadian needed. She kissed her before Jessie made her lie on the ground. She then put her head on Mallory’s chest. She took one of her hands and faced the sky. Looking at the clouds, she felt tears coming up. She didn’t know why she was getting that emotional about her sister.

She realised she just wanted to go home. Catching up with family, and her friends she hadn’t seen since forever. She had left them for a soccer camp lasting a week or so and hadn’t come back. She had never got the chance to say goodbye after that. They probably only knew she was alive because they were curious enough to look at the U20 world cup roster, or went to a game. Jessie actually wished they did, and now she regretted having avoided them so she wouldn’t have to explain.

Jessie regretted that last night she was home. She had gone to London basically only to sleep, and had kissed goodnight Elysse. She was sleeping so peacefully that she didn’t want to wake her up. She should have. Just to tell her she loved her. Jessie didn’t know when she’d die. It could be tomorrow playing War games, in a year fighting against a monster, like she could die at eighty after raising a couple of kids, grandchildren around her. And she hadn’t told her sister she loved her for weeks. Last time she had told her face to face was before Bev told her she was a demigod.

She missed playing Barbies with her sister just to make the child smile. Their little fights when Jessie would try to catch up with school after a U17 camp, and Elysse would disrupt her. How she protected her at the park if someone tried messing up with her. Trying to keep her sister out of trouble. Having fun on the swing set behind the house, despite Jessie not being a kid anymore (please don’t tell anyone she still enjoyed it like when she was 6). Going for a run with her dad and Tristan, ending it with a race to home. The snowball fights. Snow, dot. The cottage. She definitely missed her family. A tear felt down her face a made a wet spot on Mal’s t-shit. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

              “I’m here. You can cry in silence if you want, if not, I’m here to listen,” the American said, kissing her forehead. It was the only thing she could reach without having to both change position. They were just well lying on the ground.

Jessie stayed down until the call to regroup for dinner. She realised how late it was. She must have fallen asleep and she was pretty sure she had missed a training class. She didn’t really care at that point. Mal stood up, too, a little confused. They woke up quite fast, they needed to run if they didn’t want to be late. They made their way in front of the Principia, breathing heavily.

Leila saw them coming and stopped her legionnaire before Jessie could go to her row in the cohort. She cannot say she had been subtle either.

              “Can I know where you were and what you were doing? You missed my class. Was Mal with you?”

Leila had a quite serious face, but Josh, her other centurion, had that smirk.

              “She has grass stuck in her hair. Probably she went hiding somewhere behind the hill to do Mal.”

Jessie’s mouth opened, in shock, but no sound came off. Did he just suggest she and Mal had sex? First of all, he knew they were a couple?

              “We just went on the temples hill to pray the gods and stayed there to talk, and we lost track of time. Really, there’s nothing more,” she said in defense. “The grass is because I lay down for a bit to watch the clouds. And sorry for not showing up without telling, it was not planned.”

She turned red as she answered, head down and biting her lips, hoping Leila and Josh would accept her apologies. She had already cleaned the stables once today, she didn’t want to do the evening shift too. She was pretty sure the redness of her face made her guiltier for Josh, but really, she was just someone to blush for nothing. Lying was not a possibility for her, it was just too obvious. She wished Josh believed her when she said she didn’t do anything not permitted.

The praetors ordered the centurions to count their legionnaires, and Jessie went in her usual spot to be, which was in the last row. No one was missing. She felt a hand in her head and startled. It was Jill, trying to save Jessie from embarrassment by taking out grass in her messy hair. It was already too late for the shame.

Jason made the announcement Jessie had almost forgotten about. The new girl Frank had talked about. Jessie was curious to see the newbie’s face, but the boys in the row before her were so tall. No way she could see the child.

Jason explained who the girl was.

              “She is a daughter of Victoria. She is just a little younger that most campers coming in, so I expect you to welcome her correctly in the legion. She has a good recommendation letter considering her age. She is also from a sportive family. Her name is Elysse.”

Jessie froze. Elysse. Victoria. She recalled how she thought of her sister when she saw her from far. No, no, no, no! It couldn’t be _her_ Elysse. Not her little sister. Jessie started shaking and Jill questioned it from a look at her.

              “You are taller than me, can you confirm if it’s my sister?” Jessie asked the basketball player.

              “I don’t see very well either, sorry.”

Jessie knew the discussion on which cohort take her was next. Please don’t be in the first, Jessie prayed. She knew Elysse would hate it as much as Mal. And being in the same cohort than Jessie’s girlfriend increased the risk of Elysse learning about them dating. She was quite young, Jessie didn’t want to talk about her bisexuality with her. If that was how she defined herself. She didn’t even know exactly. One sure thing: she didn’t want Elysse to find out she was with Mal. Because she was too young to understand, and because Jessie was scared she’d out her to everyone.

Jessie felt like she needed to get out of the crowd. The idea her sister could be just like her and was right there, and the idea of people knowing about her sexual orientation made her panic. She needed fresh air. The first and second cohorts decided to refuse the child. Leila and Josh seemed to finish discussing. Frank decided to tell Josh and Leila he’d think the fourth could be a good fit. But most _probatio_ at the moment were in the fourth, so they didn’t need another one, and Josh refused to take Elysse. Hazel Lévesque decided she had enough. Jessie smiled. The fifth cohort was a good one. She wouldn’t have mind if Hazel had passed to let her to the third either, as she knew her friend Lisa could have guided Elysse, but Jessie trusted there was nice people in the fifth to do so.

Hazel went in front to welcome officially the girl, and led her to the last row of the fifth cohort. Jessie got a full look on the girl and could only confirm. It was definitely her little sister. She wondered if Jason and Frank had figured it out. By asking Leila and Josh about the fourth, Jessie assumed Frank did, and it might explain his smirk earlier in the day. Jason, she wasn’t sure, he hadn’t told she was a Fleming to the legion. But they still had a similar face, you could tell they were siblings, despite Elysse being blonde.

Jessie exchanged row with someone, she didn’t want Elysse to see her yet. She kept a look at her, though, and noticed her sister had grown taller. The last time she had seen her, she was in her bed, so she couldn’t notice such thing. Had she missed that much?

              “No wonder why you couldn’t reach her, uh!” Jill said, with a little smile that made Jessie laugh. Her parents were fast enough in their answer Jessie had mostly not doubted anything, she was just pissed at Elysse.

They went to the dining hall, and Jessie couldn’t resist to look over her shoulder to find where her sister was sitting. And with who. Did she mention she was a protective big sister? She spotted Elysse talking with the kids from the other cohorts. They were only three under twelve, and they were actually all older than Elysse. Of a year, or two. But it felt ok to Jessie. The girls knew how it felt to be the only kids in the middle of teenagers and young adults. And Jessie knew that if Elysse only hung out with olders, she’d want to be like them. Jessie didn’t want Elysse to grow up to teenager faster than she would have been ready to. She was just nine, after all.

Jessie approached where Elysse was, but from behind, so she wouldn’t see her. Miika, Cassie and Elora had notice though, so she put her finger over her mouth to significate, “don’t say anything, hush.” But Miika had already asked about siblings.

              “My parents told me that my brother, the oldest of the family, is not a demigod. Jessie is. She should actua… Ah!” Elysse said, startling. Jessie had hugged her from behind. The other children were already laughing, knowing who it was.

Elysse turned her head to see who it was. And screamed so loudly “Jessiiiiiiiiieeee” that everyone looked at them. Jessie only held her stronger, balancing her body from left to right.

              “I’m actually right here,” Jessie finished Elysse sentence. “I’m in the fourth cohort. And mom and dad never told me you were coming. It’s been weeks I’m trying to get you on the phone and I thought you hated me or something! I was starting to be worried…”

Jessie felt the emotion coming back. She put a hand in Elysse’s short blond hair, and with her free hand, pulled Elysse closer to her chest. Elysse could feel as embarrassed as she wanted, but Jessie needed that hug from her sister after worrying for days. And her sister didn’t seem to mind it, she put her hands on Jessie’s to hold her. When Jessie thought she’d try to separate Jessie’s arms from around her.

She asked her sister if she wanted to sit with her. She wanted to catch up with what she missed in her sister’s life (like any other siblings did when they went back from home after a semester or a year away, right?), but Elysse was way too curious about the camp to talk about school. She wanted to know the schedule, activities to do, the best place in town, etc. Every time Jessie asked something to Elysse, she gave her a, _who cares about school, I’m here now_ look. And Jessie didn’t want to risk talking about Elysse’s friends. That would hurt the kid, she knew Elysse probably missed them. She wasn’t mean. Ok, sometimes, she wanted to kill her little sister, but at that moment, no, and she also knew Elysse probably needed her. She wouldn’t say it, though. But it was an unknown world for the kid, and Jessie wanted to make sure Elysse knew she was there if needed. But she would give her some space. She could want to explore on her own, and obviously not have the _my sister overcovers me_ reputation.

Jessie wouldn’t admit it, but she was mad. Not at Elysse, it wasn’t her fault. She was, like Jessie, trying to survive in this craziness. Her dad, though. How could he cheat on her mother like this? He had two daughters who were demigods, and they were born years apart. She didn’t understand how her mortal mother could not be mad at him, because she was. But she never felt any tension between the couple. She even questioned Elysse on that, because Jessie wasn’t home most of the time to witness it. She just wished that if the fought, they were nice enough not to do it in front of the kid.

              “Uh, well, I know mom wasn’t very happy when you left, and I was trying to understand why you did too. But after a couple of days, they stopped arguing, mom had understood I guess. They never told me until last month. My substitute teacher was a monster.”

Jessie didn’t know what to say, but she felt a bit relieved. Her parents seemed to be doing ok. They probably thought the house was quite empty now, though. They basically went to having three children at home to none, in like, a year. She wished she could have explained herself to her little sister instead of her finding out by being attacked. She apologized.

              “I didn’t know you were a demigod. I would have told you otherwise.”

Elysse made a little smile.

They chatted until meal time was over. Today was not War Games, so Jessie had to do some activities with her cohort. She looked at the kid walking away, talking to a couple of girls from the 5th cohort. Jessie smiled, thinking her sister would be just fine.

Jessie texted her father when she came back to her room. He’d only see it waking up the next morning because of time zones, but he deserved a text message still. She just didn’t call him. He needed to know Elysse was now at camp. Training with Lupa had no time limit. The wolf goddess could send you home anytime, and decided when you were ready for the legion. And on your way to the camp, you could die from monsters at any moment. He needed to know she was safe.

Her dad called her as she was about turn off her light. A couple of legionnaires who were trying to sleep grumbled. Jessie apologized and went to the bathroom to take the call. She’d disturb less there.

              “I didn’t mean to wake you up, I just wanted you to know waking up tomorrow that Elysse is here and she’s ok. You can go to sleep peacefully.”

              “I wasn’t sleeping. You know, I was in fact worried. Your mother is sleeping, but I’ll tell her both our daughters are alive tomorrow. Thanks for telling me. I’m going to sleep way better now! If Tristan calls tomorrow, can I pretend I scream to Elysse to come over, but the truth is I’ll transfer the call to your phone so she can pick it up? I don’t know what lie to invent anymore.”

Jessie laughed. She knew her dad was probably as worried as Jessie was in the last weeks trying to reach to her missing sister. If not more. Isn’t it what parents do, worrying for their children all the time? She went to bed with a big smile on her face.

She was woken up by a text message entering. She knew the sound too well not to hear it, even in her sleep. She grabbed her phone, eyes barely opened, to see who was texting her. 3 AM. Seriously?

_Hazel Lévesque: Are you awake?_

Jessie was suddenly, yeah! Why was Elysse’s centurion texting her? Was her sister ok? It didn’t take three seconds and she had asked the question. She waited something like five minutes to have an answer. Which was more than plenty of time for the soccer player to panic. Did someone hurt her sister? She had a nightmare?

She received an emoji. Five minutes for a freaking emoji! God Hazel, are you that bad with cellphones? Call then! She unlocked her phone to see what exactly Hazel had sent. The green emoji. Elysse was sick? It didn’t take more time for the older sister to get out of her casern. She passed her ID card in the alarm at the door to unlock it, so she can go out, and it locked automatically as the door closed. She walked to the casern next to the horse barn. That was where Hazel and Elysse’s casern was. She had to knock, though, she knew her ID card wouldn’t let her go in. Hazel opened. Jessie immediately went to the bathroom, she bet that was where her sister was, especially that she could see the light under the closed door.

              “Hey sweetie, I’m here.”

She heard her sister sniffing. The poor girl was crying, kneeing in front of the toilet, her face white. Jessie went down to her level, gave her a recomforting hug, and drew circles on the child’s back. The child reacted by putting her head on Jessie’s shoulder, hands on her stomach. Jessie could tell her sister was feeling like shit. And she needed her right now. Hazel wouldn’t have texted in the middle of the night if Elysse hadn’t asked for it. Jessie wasn’t surprised. As a child, when she was sick, she’d always ask for her mother. She remembered that time she had had the flu and was at her aunt because her parents were away, back when Elysse was just a little baby. Elysse was probably feeling the same loneliness with Hazel that Jessie had had felt that day. Hopefully Jessie would be a good replacement of their mother?

              “I’m right here. I’ll stay with you. Is your stomach hurting that bad that you’re crying or it’s just you really need me?” Jessie whispered.

Elysse mumbled something like showing weaknesses. Jessie reassured the girl. “No one will think you are weak because you’re sick or wanted your big sister, that’s just things that happen.”

Elysse kneeled once more, and Jessie knew the girl was about to be sick again. She tried really hard not to be disgusted as her sister gagged. She ended up looking away still. Yew. But she was the big sister, she needed to be there for the kid, so she continued drawing circles on her back while she was puking, hoping Elysse wouldn’t notice. How did her parents do to keep a straight face when their children were sick?

When Elysse seemed to be done, Jessie proposed to go to bed. Elysse looked very tired, and Jessie knew she’d probably be more comfortable in her bed that sitting on the floor.

              “I can stay with you until you fall asleep, if you want,” Jessie proposed. She wanted to go to her own bed to sleep, and wasn’t a fan of seeing her little sister throwing up, but she knew how much the child would feel safer in her arms.

Despite a pale face and obvious discomfort, Elysse made a little smile before standing up. Jessie took the trash can with her, hopefully no girl in this barrack had her period, and followed her sister, because she had no clue which bed belonged to Elysse, and it was too dark to tell which one was empty.

She woke up the next morning, not knowing which Fleming had fallen asleep first. But people that were moving around her were not coming from her cohort, which reminded her where she was. Jessie’s arm was numb from being under Elysse’s body.

She looked up as Hazel was taking a picture of the girls. If there was something she hated, it was to be taken in picture, especially with no permission.

              “What are you doing?”

              “Josh texted all the centurions to know if someone had seen you and, uh, if Mal was missing too… texting takes me so long that I figured a picture would tell it all. Josh assumed you went out to, uh, have sex with Mal,” the centurion said. The idea what Mal could have sex with Hazel didn’t seem to make the centurion comfortable, but she didn’t add anything.

Jessie pretended she was offended by what Josh thought. In case people were listening, especially Elysse. She couldn’t have thoughts of her big sister having sex, especially that it didn’t happen yet.

So Josh knew about them dating? Jessie realised she should tell her friends before they find out by someone else. She should actually have told them before.

She turned to the centurion, and asked if she was in trouble. She looked down to her little sister, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Her face was still a bit pale, and Jessie could tell she had been sick again by a very quick look at the trash can. She kissed her sister’s cheeks. Elysse let a little sound come out. _No, I woke her up_ , Jessie sadly thought, but then, Elysse made a disgusted face and Jessie knew what was going to happen again. Jessie was disappointed to see her little sister was not feeling any better. If Jessie had supposed at first that it was probably just her sister being nervous and being her first night that had made her sick, now she was pretty sure it was a virus. Jessie prayed her good immune system to make its job at not catching it too, especially she had spent the night next to her. She let a silent prayer go to Apollo while her sister took the trash can in her hand.

Fifteen minutes later, she was outside, still in pyjama, going back to her casern (thanks gods she was in California and not in Canada, otherwise she’s be freezing). Leila was waiting for her.

              “Why were you in your sister casern, and why not letting me or Josh know about it?”

Jessie looked at her with a face.

              “I thought Hazel picture would be obvious, but I guess not. Elysse is sick, and wanted me. I was supposed to do what? It was in the middle of the night. You wanted me to go in your casern, wake you up, and then go?”

Jessie realised the centurions had access to data knowing who left and when. They had looked at the machine when they realised she wasn’t in bed? Because that seemed odd to Jessie as she was often waking up very early to go run in the morning, and would leave before anyone wake up.

At the girl’s confused face, Leila admitted they had notifications for people passing through the caserns doors between 10:30 PM and 6:30. So every time Jessie left before that time, they knew? And never asked questions? She said her question out loud.

              “I would ask you questions when you come back, but then I see you all sweaty and it’s quite self-explanatory!” Leila laughed. “And I know you train to be the best soccer player in the world, I’m not stupid either. But this morning, at about 3 AM, it was too weird for Josh and I.”

 _Yeah, Josh thought I was either in Mal’s bed or we were both out_ , Jessie thought.

She took some clothes to get dressed up. She smiled to Penny and Jillian who were all getting ready too.

              “Josh implied you could be with Mal. You’re together, uh? I mean, you spend way too much time with her… and each time you were almost late, or late like in yesterday’s case, that’s when you’re with her… we’re not gonna lie, rumours are going.”

Jessie turned bright red. She looked at Penny discouraged. And she had a little ashamed look, for not telling them.

              “I… yeah. But can you make sure Elysse doesn’t learn this? I don’t think I could explain her…”

              “You think she’ll be mad because you love girls? She looks like the sweetest kid ever.”

              “I want to keep her innocence. I… I just don’t even know if I’m like, gay or bi or anything else cause there’s so many terms that I could identify to, but have no clue they exist or what they mean!”

Jill laughed. What was funny? Jessie was a little pissed. She lacked sleep, and her friends were totally making fun of her for no reasons. She texted Mal to tell her the two girls knew. There was just Lisa left to say.

 

They all went to eat at the dinning hall. Jessie felt like doing a little nap on the couch right there.

              “Guys, would you wake me up in twenty minutes? I spend a good part of the night holding hair of Elysse…”

Mal smiled. “Sure, love.”

Lisa turned around so fast, and Jessie looked at Mal with a loving look. Lisa looked at Mallory, than Jessie.

              “Don’t tell it to anyone, but uh… we’re actually dating,” Mal said, with a low voice and a big smile on her face.

Jessie smiled, and then lied down on the couch. They could say whatever they wanted about her being in love and blah blah blah, but she needed a powernap. Her eyes were too heavy to keep open.

She was woken up by Penny. “What? Already?” Jessie said with a sleepy voice. She felt like she had just rested her head over her arm.

              “Frank and Jason are announcing something.”

Jessie grumbled and sat. She was fighting with her eyes to keep them open.

Frank announced they’d play hockey on Monday evening. The first three cohorts against the fourth and fifth. Jessie, Penny and Jillian all looked at Lisa and Mal with a little defiant smile. _We will win, try to beat me_. The centurions were choosing who played and who got to watch from the stands. Jessie didn’t even need to look at Leila, the Ceres daughter came to her table to announced she was playing on the first line. And would possibly be the captain. Jessie smiled, knowing she was one of the best hockey players in the whole camp.

She heard at the table behind her someone talking in French. Jessie decoded, “Are we playing hockey? When? Can I play?” She turned around to see the twin girls from the third cohort that had arrive the last weekend. Chloé and Anaïs were from France, and pronounced hockey _ockay_. Jessie couldn’t tell them apart yet. Lisa couldn’t be of help either, she could barely say their names and they were in her cohort!

After a minute, the one who seemed to be named Anaïs – thanks to the other twin for saying her name – raised her hand to talk. To say with a very bad English, “Can I be _zuh_ … _gardienne de buts_? _”_ Jessie tried not to laugh as she looked at one of the centurions, “She asks to be the goalie for team 1 to 3.” The twin sister mentioned something like “ _nassee-onal tim_ , I want to play too!” So Chloé was on the France national team? They even had one? Jessie smirked at the level of English the twins had. She doubted they understood 10 % of what was happening on a daily basis. And seriously, their pronunciation was horrible! Who decided to teach French people that the sound “the” was _zuh_. She had Quebecer teammates that would replace the “th” by a D, but a Z, it was the first time Jessie heard it.

Breakfast ended on that, and Jessie decided to go for a little checkup on Elysse. She told Jillian, whom she had a class with, before going to the fifth cohort barrack. In case she stays longer. She realised her sister was back to sleep, so she didn’t stay long. She just made sure the kid had water and Gatorade to stay hydrated. Left a snack in case she woke up hungry (she doubted Elysse would have an appetite, but you never know). And a little reminder to actually drink even if she wasn’t very thirsty, left on a post-it on the bedtable. Jessie cared about her little sister. She felt so bad for her. It was her first complete day at camp, and she was going to spend it in her barrack, alone…

Monday came up quickly, and Jessie couldn’t wait for the hockey game. Elysse was feeling much better, and enjoyed the activities so far. It was enough to put a smile on Jessie’s face.

Jessie went with her team in the locker room. She was ready for that hockey game. They didn’t wear official jerseys, they wore practice jerseys. Because they couldn’t wear those they had for the summer competition, they all played together. So Jessie’s team was yellow, Mal’s was purple. They were given numbers at random.

Jessie was pumped up when she stepped on the ice for the first period. She was surprised to see Mal was playing. She was chosen on the team? Oh well… Jessie knew she’d be as competitive as if she wasn’t playing against her. It doesn’t matter if you are my girlfriend, Jessie thought. She was there to win this. She couldn’t lie about who her goddess mother was, uh? Winning was in her blood, and every time she had a jersey on, soccer, hockey, or even her school colors when she was Elysse’s age, she gave her best. And she had that mentality of Team first, she was ready to do anything for her teammates.

The game started team cohort 4-5 way. Jessie had good shifts. She didn’t let the boys beat her. And she skated the fastest she could. It showed she had grown up playing that sports, she could handle the puck way better than most of both teams. And she used it at her advantage. Wasn’t it the point?

She faced Mal during a faceoff at the right of the cohort 1-3 goalie. One of the Aurard twins. She looked at her girlfriend with a smirk.

              “You think you can win this puck?”

Mal laughed. “I can’t wait to see your face when the rookie gets it before you do!”

The referee let the puck go, and Jessie was first on it, passing to Penny.

              “Ha! Got it. Can’t wait to see you lose!”

Jessie was just teasing and having fun. She wasn’t mean. Her tone was friendly.

She ended up scoring on Anaïs. She had a little smile going to the bench, fist bumping all her teammates. She was called on the bench right there. She sat waiting for her next shift. She had noticed most of the time, she had her shift at the same time that Mal. It made the game a little fun. She felt like teasing her today. Have fun in this one-side game.

She went back on the ice, and tried getting the puck in the corner. Mal joined her, and they battle for the puck. Jessie tried to hold her a little.

              “Think I’ll let you go that easy with the puck?” Jessie said with a little smile. Her teammates were a little away, not really knowing if they should get involved or not, so Jessie’s tone was a little flirty.

              “Are you gonna stop?” Mal said, with the same tone.

              “Nah. Now thank you,” the Canadian said as she felt she had the puck on her stick. She skated away from her girlfriend, knowing she was the fastest on skates.

The period ended, and Jessie had a smile on her face. She loved that game, and today, she missed the times she played it regularly.

The second period started well for Jessie’s team. They scored two in a matter of seven minutes. She laughed when she saw Mal tripping on her skates, wanting to turn around, but she had trouble to brake.

              “Gosh Mal, have you skated before? I really hope you’re better in bed than you can play hockey!”

Mal looked at her with big eyes, and Jessie could see she was about to open her mouth wide open in shock. She probably thought, “Did Jess just said that?”

She laughed loudly. But then she heard the referee.

              “Fleming, Pugh, both 2 minutes.”

              “What did I do?” Mal and Jessie asked at the same time.

              “I can’t stand you bitching like that. Penalty box.”

Mal looked shocked. “I didn’t even say anything!”

Jessie looked at Mal. “He thinks we’re bitching? Wow… if he only knew,” she said, skating to the door of the penalty box. She couldn’t care less about the penalty. The team would play 4 on 4 for two minutes and what? She sat next to Mal, because they didn’t have separate boxes.

              “Did I tell you I loved you?” Jessie said, breaking the silence after about a minute.

              “I wish I could kiss you right now. Would you join me behind the baths, just before bed, you know, it will be dark, no one will know…” Mal said with a very suggestive voice.

Jessie couldn’t help but wonder what Mal had in mind. She felt a little nervous. Mal could just want to kiss her just like Jessie wanted to do at the moment, or Mal had other things in mind, and that made Jessie very nervous. She was a little unsure of if she was ready for more private things yet, and outside, behind the baths building, it seemed a little weird to the teenager.

The two minutes ended before Jessie could reply anything. She grabbed the puck coming her way, and entered the opposing team zone. _Ha! Look at me score!_

Aurard stole the goal. Jessie was impressed. She thought her team would win by more than that, but she stopped a lot of good shots. She passed next to Team cohort 1 to 3 bench and said to Mal, “We’ll still gonna win. And for your proposition, if you score one, I might consider…”

She didn’t know why she said that, but she felt Mal wouldn’t put one in unless very lucky anyways. Mal skated to her for her shift that was just starting.

              “You know you’re really sexy, uh?”

They were both feeling flirty and teasing the other one. The night was interesting.

Mal didn’t score. None of her teammates did. Jessie’s team won 4-0. It was not that bad, considering Aurard was supposedly on the U18 team of France. She had told Jessie on their way to the locker room after the game. She had received more than 25 shots in total. The opposing goaltender had only got 6. Oops. Did Jessie say one-side game?

She went directly in direction of the baths after the game, after making a smile to her sister. She wouldn’t have minded going to see her, but she was desperately needing of wash herself. Even Elysse would tell she stinks. Maybe she’d sneak in her barrack to tuck her in, if Hazel let her.

She turned the water on and started washing herself when she heard the curtain move behind her. What? She turned her head to see who was spying on her.

              “Shh, it’s just me,” Mal said, with a very low voice. She had sneaked in, and didn’t want people to know.

              “Mmmm… that was what you had in mind, then?” Jessie replied, a little smirk on her face as she had a naked Pugh in front of her. She took the soap and started washing her girlfriend’s skin. Kissed her neck. Whispered a little, “I love you” in her ear. She was pretty sure all the girls showering at that moment guessed there was a lesbian couple in the legion now. Probably wanted to escape thinking they were about to have sex. Jessie didn’t care about it. She knew they wouldn’t go there that night. She was not ready. She at some point stopped Mal as she was pressing her against the wall, kissing her softly every part of Jessie’s body she could reach. Jessie felt the excitement, but she knew they couldn’t do it right there right now.

Their shower lasted more than fifteen minutes. Because Jessie forgot she was supposed to wash her head. Mal played more with her hair than washed it, really. Jessie had to bite her lips a couple time not to let appreciative moans go loudly. There were people around!

They took their time to get dressed up, and when they were sure all the girls had left, they went out. Jessie wished she could spend the night with Mal, but she knew the camp didn’t allow that kind of thing. She was pretty sure just to shower with her might be breaking rules.

They held hands in the dark until Jessie passed next to the fifth cohort. She had totally forgotten about her sister.

              “Mal, wait. I want to kiss goodnight Elysse.”

The American smiled. “I love how you care about her. You’re a good big sister, and I really love that sweet side of you. I also loved very much that sexy side you showed me today. I didn’t expect that from you. I’m happily surprised…”

Jessie blushed. Hid her face with her hands. She felt a little embarrassed. She made a sign to Mal to wait for her a little further while she knocked on the door. The last thing she wanted was people to notice Mal. She didn’t want anyone to suspect she was the one “having shower sex”.

She knocked, and Praetor Frank answered.

              “Hey Jessie, your sister is already asleep, sorry…”

              “Can I still tuck her in? And you still sleep in your former cohort? Reyna is still living in her praetor barrack? She didn’t rent an apartment in town, uh?”

Frank made no with his head. “I let her the barrack. I don’t mind being in group. She needed that privacy with Leo. Plus, she doesn’t have the money to rent anything. And you can go see your sister if you want.”

Jessie assumed Leo was the Greek boy people had seen around. She made her way to Elysse bed. Replaced the covers she had already sent anywhere but on herself. Kissed her forehead. Placed her blond hair behind her ear, because it was right on her right eye, and it got on Jessie’s nerves.

              “Good night Elysse. Sleep well. I love you,” Jessie said, knowing her little sister was sleeping and didn’t hear her. But she wanted to say it anyway. Because she loved her more than anything, and just in case she pretended to be sleeping.

She went in direction of her barrack, alone. Mal had left. Jessie smiled as she received a text.

_I was afraid Michael would get suspicious, so I went back. Sorry I couldn’t kiss you goodnight like you just did to your sister. Might be a little jealous of her ;)_

Jessie went to bed with a big smile that night. She could see Penny and Jill exchanging looks, a little curious of what was going on.

              “You were with Mal, right?” Penny whispered form the bed next to hers, smiking.

Jessie threw her pillow at the Ontarian swimmer. “Oh shut up!”

Penny gave it back,

              “Are you gonna tell us, or it’s things we actually don’t want to know?”

Jill laughed. “There are rumours two girls were near having sex in the showers. I wouldn’t question Jessie about those, she probably hasn’t heard about it, uh?” she said as she looked down to both Jessie and Penny.

Jillian was totally messing with her too.

              “Do you want me to kick your mattress from under you? Cause I can do that if you both don’t shut up, really!”

Jill had the bunk bed above Jessie. The Canadian took out her feet from under the cover, and put it on the mattress. She pushed a little under where Jessie assumed must be Jill’s ass. Just to mess with her a little.

              “Fleming, stop that!”

              “Only if you stop talking.”

The lights were turned off, and Jessie took her pillow and turned around to sleep. She dreamed of Mal that night. Woke up with a smile. She loved that girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i once again introduced new characters! Sorry, i realised about a month ago that Jessie had siblings and i felt like having her little sister in there. I am not exactly sure of her age, so i went by approximatively what she might be by the very few pictures on Internet i found. And for Mal and Jessie's relationship, i said i wouldn't write sex, so that is the furthest i will describe in this. It doesn't mean i won't try to include cute stuff, but i'm just not very good at describing sex things as i've actually been single all my life soooo...


	8. Love, sister time and baby, all in Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red like love, red like jealousy. Arguyings, sisterhood, red like messing up, but also red like the Canadian jersey. Red like Jessie's cheeks. In this chapter, Jessie gets some new struggles, faces emotions she hasn't face in a while, and waits for a call from John Herdman.

It was now November and Jessie started feeling nostalgic about cold weather and first snow of the year. She knew she wouldn’t have any here. She felt like building a snowman with Elysse, like they always did. Half the time, it would turn into a snowball fight. Plenty of fun. But it was not in California she’d have snow to have a snowman to build…

Talking about Elysse, she was getting used to the camp. She loved learning all about it. She missed their parents and Tristan, obviously, but having Jessie there made her feel better. Frank had finally decided to have the children go to New Rome school for mornings. They could continue learning Maths, English, and any other classes that were prerequisite courses to what campers learned. Jessie was almost surprised the Senate approved to the request, but considering they learned engineering, Latin, and other complicated subjects at camp, it was not that weird. You cannot do physics if you have a fifth-grade maths. Jessie was pretty sure the only reason Elysse had heard the word Algebra was because Jessie had homework when she was in high school. Did the kid knew what it was precisely? No!

The camp adjusted the schedule to have most classes (or the advanced one) in the morning. Most campers didn’t mind, Jessie was personally more focused in the morning anyways. She was also relieved when she heard Elysse talking positively about school. It was a first. For once, she felt like she belonged and loved learning. Like every demigod or almost, she was hyperactive and dyslexic. The teachers were used to that and adapted their programs to unfocused minds. Elysse was in the same class than her friends, so only one teacher would have to deal with students not being there in the afternoons. There were some kids jealous that their friends were already at camp. Elysse reported at dinner one day Miika replying to a kid, “You see your parents everyday, what are you complaining about?” Poor girl, her parents were in Finland! If London felt far to Jessie sometimes, at least it was not something like 9 hours of time-difference. But some kids were so ambitious and would have like to be at camp. Apparently, there were a few that wanted to be in the legion until they die. Not Jessie’s case, let me tell you!

Jessie realised she was an exception to the dyslexic thing. She was hyperactive, but she could read perfectly fine English. Probably why she struggled more than any other camper with Latin. Normally, her brain was programmed to read it… Elysse was seeing the basics of it, just like Jessie and campers not being from New Rome, and the kid was definitely the best at Latin between them two!

Jessie tried guiding Elysse in her first steps as a camper only when she’d ask for it. Because Elysse had to make her name for herself, and Jessie didn’t want to be the overprotective sister, even if the truth was that she was often discreetly checking on her sister. She didn’t want her sister to have a bad reputation because of her. So she waited that Elysse came to her when she felt she needed it, even if sometimes it killed her. At least, she was there if something happened, and she would always make herself free if the child needed her sister. The campers were now allowed one night in town per month where you can just go eat to the restaurant (with approval of centurions of course), and Jessie planned a sister night one month on two. Because of course, she also planned on taking Mal to dates. Hopefully, Elysse wouldn’t ask questions on why she was bringing someone else…

Jessie was still happy she wasn’t in the same cohort than Elysse. As protective as she was, she still was doing well by herself before her sister came, and she liked being by herself, having to care about herself only. If Elysse was in the fourth, people would expect that she’d be the one having to look after her, telling her what to do, etc. It was Hazel and Dakota’s role, and she was ok with it! Not to mention that more and more people knew about Jessie and Mal dating, and Elysse being in the fifth, she had less chances to hear about it. Jessie wished she wouldn’t find out by another camper. But she couldn’t tell her sister yet. She talked to their father every night, he would know in seconds! It was not Elysse the problem, Jessie wasn’t ready to come out to her parents. She didn’t know exactly how to identify, and she couldn’t care less. But coming out loving girls, she wasn’t there yet.

Her relationship with Mal was doing great overall. But they hadn’t the time to see each other often. Jessie had been called for a friendly against Japan, her first camp with the national team, and she had loved every second of it. She hadn’t really seen much time on the pitch during the friendly, but training with the national team was something she knew she wouldn’t forget. Just being there and training with Sinclair, Matheson, Tancredi (Jessie’s favorite player, it was a little intimidating) and other well-known names on the Canadian squad, it was awesome. She tried doing her best there. John seemed impressed by her talent for her age. It was mostly positive. She knew what she needed to work on for the next camp, she had noticed a few things here and there, or heard coaches talking about her. But she was confident they’d call her again in the future. She was almost wondering if she’d have a chance to try to make the roster for the World Cup in six months.

Mal didn’t say anything about Jessie’s call. She seemed happy for her. But sometimes, Jessie felt like Mal didn’t say everything. She felt a little jealousy still being there. Or maybe Mal was really happy about things and there was nothing to worry about? Jessie was a little scared of what would happen in the following weeks. Mal had heard of a U17 camp she might be called on (thanks to the dreams they made sometimes that reflected real-life conversations) and she hoped she could convince both her centurions. Jessie wouldn’t be surprised if Mal was already trying to convince them, even if the call has yet to be made.

 

Jessie’s alarm went off very early in the morning. Like she often did, she was going for a run. Or at least, that was what she had planned with Mal for that Friday morning. She didn’t feel like it, but she still stood up and prepared herself. Her only motivation that morning was that Mal was going with her.

She joined her girlfriend at the door of her barrack. And the first thing Jessie noticed: Mal wasn’t more motivated than her…

              “Even when you look tired, you still look pretty,” Mal said with a little smile.

              “What? No! I look like a freaking zombie this morning! Shut up! I just feel like skipping it today, but we’re already both awake and I know I personally won’t fall asleep.”

Mal laughed. “Same here. Want to do something else? Just the two of us? No one will know we skipped training…”

Jessie thought about it for a few seconds. She wanted to say yes, but her daily training session was not going to be done by talking. Unless…

              “The mountain next to the temple hill, do you think we can climb it? The view of the valley must be nice from the top?”

The mountain was not that high, but it could be a nice alternative to their training. And more fun. Mal immediately agreed, and they made their way by the bottom of the mountain, bottle of water in hands, and phone in pockets blasting some upbeat music to wake them up.

It took them about half an hour to make it to the top. When Jessie said it was a small mountain, she didn’t expect to have a lot of time to relax at the top, but apparently, they had about half an hour before the wake-up call. If they took a quick shower, they could regroup with the legion in time and spend a bit of time looking at the view before going down.

Jessie sat on a tree that had fallen. She looked at her phone. The picture icon was available.

              “Mal, we’re out of camp. We need to make sure we’re not attacked.”

But there was one thing Jessie was going to take advantage of: taking a few pictures of Mal and the view. Technically, except centurions when necessary (read: Hazel who can’t text), they couldn’t use the app. It was not even there unless they left the camp/city borders. A nice tool to know when they were out of it, though.

Jessie took plenty of pictures of Mal. She avoided doing selfies of herself, though, she hated it. Mal didn’t even notice, too busy looking at the view. That was the next thing Jessie pictured. It was risky, if anyone found out, she risked her cellphone being taken forever (yeah, that was the punishment, and the only reason teens didn’t search a way to have the picture app installed).

She was busy looking at the view of the valley when she felt arms around her waist. Mal’s hand, obviously. She felt her lips in her neck.

              “I wish we could stay here for hours, just the two of us.”

Jessie couldn’t help but approve. She just wanted to stay there and forget about camp duties today. Spend her day with her girlfriend she hadn’t seen much lately. Their last time together alone consisted of their shower they took after that hockey game. And they both knew they hadn’t been very alone. The rumours were still going about who it could be, and Jessie was still blushing a little every time someone would mention it. She was pretty sure everybody had guessed at that point. She felt a little guilty, but at the same time, she wanted more moments like those. But without anyone around, like today.

Mal asked if people would mind if they didn’t show up for breakfast.

              “You know we’ll be punished. And with that call you might have, do you really want to risk it? I personally don’t. But trust me, I would love to stay longer here. We have about fifteen minutes before going though. After that, Josh will assume we’re hiding to have sex.”

Mal laughed. “Maybe we could give him a reason to?” she said with a very suggestive voice. Jessie looked at Mal, as the latest was more and more touchy. Jessie couldn’t help but feel the excitement, but she was also stressed about being caught. She discreetly set a timer before being tempted.

              “Jessica Alexandra Fleming, seriously? You think too much! Stop making the statue, you want?”

Jessie laughed, but didn’t pause her phone timer. She turned around to face her girlfriend and started kissing the same way Mal had been for the past five minutes. She wanted to take out her sweaty clothes to expose some skin. Touching and kissing was something Jessie was at ease with. But having sex like Mal proposed, she wasn’t so sure. Not for today, at least.

It was getting hot on the top of the mountain when the timer went off.

              “Mmm, I wish I could just ignore it,” Jessie said softly in Mal’s ear. Like she wanted the American to give her plenty of reasons to.

The only thing she got was a sexy look. Jessie found it hard to resist. But she stepped away, realizing the time was still passing.

              “We might have to skip the shower if we continue.”

They both knew how sweaty they were. It was not a good idea to skip. Penny, Jill or anyone else wouldn’t mind remembering them they both stink. Josh would assume they did just what they actually did. And Jessie was not that comfortable with that.

Mal grumbled but followed Jessie on her way down. Jessie took Mal’s hand when she could. The way down was a little harder than expected. They had climbed their way sometimes by jumping high to reach a place higher, and suddenly, Jessie felt a little dizzy. They had to stop a couple of times to think about where to pass.

              “Can you tell me how you know my middle name?” Jessie asked as they were almost at the bottom.

              “I found your passport, you dumb.”

Jessie heard the regrouping call from the distance.

              “Mal, run!”

They made it a little late. Jessie hoped she wouldn’t get too much into trouble. Jessie was all sweaty. Josh and Michael were both waiting at the dining hall entrance when they got there. The counting was done for at least ten minutes. Jessie swore silently. She could not get into trouble. Coach Herdman had mentioned he could maybe call her for another camp in the future. If he didn’t, Bev Priestman would for U17 or U20.

Josh didn’t look impressed. She wished it was Leila, but she wasn’t that surprised. It was almost always Josh when it was time to say negative stuff. Leila couldn’t discipline Jessie, Josh knew that. She loved the athlete too much. No doubts why some people talked in Jessie’s back. Leila was doing favoritism for Jessie and it was obvious. Could Jessie change something? Not really… She couldn’t really tell Leila to refuse to let her go to a camp, uh? Maybe it was just time for camp rules to change and adapt to the reality of athletes at camp? Even Reyna was for it before going into maternity leave!

              “What is your excuse? You are late.”

Jessie had her head down, and didn’t dare looking at Mal. She felt so guilty. She was the one proposing to go hiking. The one to give up on the temptation to stay on top. She didn’t resist to kissing Mal, her heart took over her brain. She couldn’t afford doing so, but she did anyway. And now she’d have to pay.

              “What is our punishment? We went running and we lost track of time. We’re very sorry,” Jessie said.

Michael and Josh looked at each other, not very sure.

              “I have to see with Leila. But it’s not the first time it happens, Fleming. And every time, you are with Pugh. Do I need to jump on conclusion, or not let you train with her anymore?”

Both Jessie and Mallory replied in a matter of seconds, “No!”

Jessie couldn’t afford not training with Mal. For development issues. Mal pushed Jessie to be a better player, Jessie pushed Mal to do the same.

              “I’m very sorry, sometimes when I run, I enter in a bubble, and when running goes well, you want to push another mile, and it turned out I ran a few more than planned. Mal followed because it was going well for her too, I guess.”

Michael asked where they ran, he didn’t see them passing in front of the barracks.

              “By the hills, near the borders. We wanted to test out a new route,” Mal said.

Jessie though of how much she liked running growing up, especially in rough paths. When she was around Elysse’s age, running in the mud didn’t faze her. She didn’t count the number of times she entered home and her parents would tell her to wash herself outside with a hose first. 

They entered in the hall to eat.

              “I think it’s better if we don’t go at the same table,” Jessie proposed. “I don’t want people to talk in my back right now.”

Jessie approached Mal to talk in her ear. “And I don’t think I could resist kissing you if I sit next to you. And I don’t want my sister to find out that brutally.”

Mal nodded, red and a little disappointed, but she seemed to understand. Jessie joined Penny. She noticed the centurions going to the centurions and praetors’ table, discussing, probably about the footballer’s case. She saw Josh pointing at the table Mal was sitting at, then Jessie’s.

Jessie expected a meeting at the principia. Leila came in her engineering class around ten.

              “Fleming, can we talk?” she announced, to what Jessie was not surprised at all. She expected Leila calling her name.

Since she didn’t have the choice, she excused herself to the teacher and left. She was quite shy to stand up. Especially everyone probably knew she was in trouble.

She closed the door behind her, no one needed to know what was being said. She saw Josh and Frank. It was worst than she thought.

              “Can you promise you won’t be late once more? If it happens again, we’ll prevent you from training with Mallory Pugh,” Frank said. Jessie was shaking.

She didn’t have the choice to promise. She blamed herself a lot for what had happened that morning. When she was with Mal, she was so often getting herself into trouble, and she didn’t like that. She wouldn’t say Mal was a bad influence, today was her idea, but she caught herself being less focus, more risktaker, and it was becoming more and more dangerous. But Mal was so attractive, and more time passed, more intimacy she wanted.

She wished she was home. She could just ask her parents for a sleepover, and Mal could have sleep in her bed. She wanted to cuddle her girlfriend, have a secret makeout session. Nothing sexual yet, but just have Mal’s body next to her. It was not allowed here, and Jessie felt trapped sometimes. She understood why the rules are there, or at least this one, but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

              “Do we have to watch more closely your actions and Mallory’s? Should we get worried about what you do with her?” Josh asked, like he had read Jessie’s thought. Maybe she had a very guilty look. It was not the first time Josh asked about the girls dating and doing forbidden things.

              “We were not having sex, if it’s your question. It’s not like it was permitted either. Anyway, if we could, I’m not ready.”

Frank questioned Josh with a look, before staring at the legionnaire, “You girls are dating, then? Oh well… You seem to know about that camp rule, I won’t remind you. But don’t be late ever again.”

Jessie heard a growl sound behind her. She turned around to see a golden automaton dog. Aurum. One of Reyna’s dog. He was programmed to attack when someone lied, so him making those warning sounds wasn’t good for Jessie. It was not calling on Frank, none of his statement could be lies.

              “Aurum, please sit! Jessie?” Leila asked worried. She was very disappointed at her legionnaire.

              “We might have kissed a little bit on our running path this morning,” Jessie said. She was bright red. She didn’t like admitting it.

She didn’t want to say more detail, scared of lying and being attacked for it. She looked at the dog, afraid of it.

              “Is there more to say?” Josh asked, curious about why Jessie looked at the dog. Jessie knew it was a trick question.

If she replied no, Aurum would attack, if she said yes, she’d have to explain.

              “We might have kissed a lot, but we didn’t have sex, I swear on Victoria’s head.”

The dog stayed sit. Jessie sighed. She could feel she was shaking. She was very nervous. She didn’t have much time to eat that morning, and with that sudden anxious feeling she felt because of the interview, she was nauseous.

She didn’t even look at the centurions and Frank.

              “You can return to your class. You’ll spend your night making shine armors and swords,” the praetor announced. “Now, I’ll meet with Jason, and the first cohort centurions, I’m curious to see how Mal answered his questions…”

Jessie paled. She could bet Reyna’s second dog, Argentum, was at the meeting too. “Please, Mal, don’t say anything stupid,” she thought.

She returned in the class. A lot of people looked at her. She could hear people talking in her back.

              “How pale she looks, I hope she really got into trouble this time. It’s not the first time Mallory and she show up late.”

              “I can’t believe she always get away with it and find a way to get out of camp at will. What is that special with that girl? Like, you’re not a god!”

Jessie felt she had enough. Usually, she let people talk, would speak in class only to answer the teacher’s questions, or to clarify things she didn’t get, but this time, she didn’t feel like letting them say mean things in her back.

              “I will be punished for showing up late. No, I’m not special, I just might represent my country in a sport I love more than anything. That’s also why I train as much as I do.”

Jessie returned to her physic problem, trying to focus. But she felt very nauseous. She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She dared looking, the teacher busy explaining a problem Jessie wasn’t yet at.

MP: I have the tunnel duty tonight. And I admitted we climbed the hill. I didn’t say we got to the top or outside the borders. They asked if we had sex, but I said no. I got scared of what Argentum considered as sex, but he didn’t attack. U?

JF: Said we kinda kissed a lot. Lost track of time. I’ll be in the armory. And I was so nervous that I’m feeling unwell still. People talk in my back now…

She went back to Physics. She struggled to focus. The truth was nausea was not getting away at all despite the meeting being done for at least fifteen minutes. She was near barfing. She probably sighed a little too much on her attempt to focus, because the girl sitting at her left looked at her.

              “You’re ok? You’re quite pale since you came back…”

Jessie made a little faint smile. “Not really. I’m feeling a little sick. But I don’t think I could go rest, I’m already in trouble.”

She suddenly felt quite dizzy, and knew she was going to throw up soon enough. She just hoped to make it out of the room without being sick on the floor or fainting. She stood up from her chair, the dizziness making her shake and walk with unsure steps. She walked between the chairs and desks, before feeling her stomach flipping. She did her best ignoring the dizziness as she put a hand over her mouth, rushing by the door.

It didn’t take more than five second before she felt her breakfast coming up, and she got the bad impression she wouldn’t make it far. She tried spotting the trash can. Next to the door. “Please make it there,” Jessie prayed silently. She just wanted to take it and go out of the room. She already felt bad enough, she couldn’t afford puking her guts in front of fifty legionnaires.

She felt the acid taste in her mouth, and she closed her lips together hoping to be able to hold it there until she gets in the hallway. She was getting closer to the trash can, but she could feel some vomit leak through her lips to end up in her hands. Yuck. Her head was spinning, she made her way out of the classroom seeing a bit blurry.

Another wave of nausea hit her as she exited the room. She stopped the other side of the door, no energy left to go further, and puked all she had in her stomach. She felt like crap. Her stomach was hurting, she was still nauseous after ten minutes, she was shaking and dizzy. She sat on the floor, leaned against the wall and put her head against the cold wall, trying to relax a little and stop the dizziness.

She texted a medic that was in her contacts, texting with the hand that wasn’t covered of vomit. Every time she tried standing up, her head would start spinning and she would get a blurry vision.

              JF: Can you get someone come to help me? I’m in the class hallway and I’m so sick I can barely stand up by myself.

Jessie took the trash can in her hands again, feeling like she was going to barf once more. She heard a door near open. Saw a pair of shoes stopping next to her, and felt a hand on her shoulder.

              “Wow, you don’t look good at all. I was going to the bathroom; do you want me to help you to your cabin when I get back?”

It was Lisa’s voice. Jessie let a “uh-uh” go out of her mouth.

              “Lisa, can you get me water? And if you know anyone who have gum, that would be very appreciated…”

              “I have mint gum, I guess you’ll take a piece, uh? And hold on for water, I’ll be back.”

Jessie took the piece of gum Lisa gave her. It helped a little with the awful taste of her mouth. It was not enough to get rid of it, but it was better than nothing at all.

Lisa came back at the same time than a medic arrived. Jessie didn’t even remember going to her casern, but she woke up around two PM, in her bed, clothes on.

She still had a headache, but her stomach seemed to be significantly better. She was hungry, but she wasn’t sure on how she would handle food.

              “Hey, Fleming, feeling better now?”

The Canadian slowly turned her head, just in case moving fast would have her be sick again. It was her centurion checking on her.

              “Hey. I guess so. I don’t even remember when and how I got here… But sleeping seems to have helped for sure. I don’t know what happened with me, all of a sudden I felt really not well…”

Leila smiled. “They gave you some medicine. I would stay calm today if I were you. That said, unless you are really not up to it, you still have to go in the armory tonight for your punishment.”

Jessie considered asking to do it another day. The products they used to clean out the swords and armors was quite smelly, she wasn’t sure of how her stomach and head would react. She just wanted to call it off, but she knew she deserved the punishment.

Jessie stood up and took some new clothes. She could feel what she was wearing was dirty from sweating, and she wanted to get into something comfy. It was that kind of day.

              “Can I take my punishment tomorrow night instead?” Jessie asked to the centurion before she left. “I don’t think I’ll do well with all the cleaning products and stuff to make it shine. Unless you consider me being sick a good punishment. But it would be very mean.”

Leila made a little smile, and nodded. “Take care of yourself. I’ll tell Josh. I don’t even know if he is aware you are here. Lisa came to me, knowing I’m your favorite centurion.”

Jessie couldn’t help but smile as she left the barrack to go at the Baths. She desperately needed a shower. Especially she had skipped one that morning. Her run and make out session with Mal seemed to be days ago.

She saw her sister at the baths. Elysse was covered in mud. Jessie questioned the blond child on how it happened.

              “I was pushed by a boy in the first cohort. I also scratched my knee on my way down the hill.”

Jessie, who was about to enter in her shower, turned around so fast she almost slipped on the wet floor.

              “Who? Why? Do I need to plan a revenge? And let me see your injury,” Jessie immediately replied.

              “Jessie, I just took out my clothes, no, I’m not showing you. It’s nothing really. It bled just a little bit. I’ve had worst in sword fighting lessons. And please, don’t do anything about it, it will only get worse.”

              “Is it the first time that boy does something to you?”

She didn’t have any answer. Jessie froze. Was her sister being bullied, and never said anything?

              “Elysse?”

The child let a very silent, “No no…” that didn’t convince Jessie. Jessie was already doing the worst scenarios in her head of her sister being bullied and all. But Elysse was probably right. Trying to defend her was probably not going to help out. Elysse was probably worried about having that ‘my sister has to defend me’ reputation or something. Jessie got it, it was to her sister to defend herself. But Jessie was afraid she wouldn’t speak out.

              “Listen, if he hurts you once more, tell me, or tell someone else you trust. Hazel, Frank, Dakota, Penny, whatever. But you can’t be silent about it. And reply to him. Tell him it’s not right.”

              “Jessie, please, stop! I’m ok. And I can defend myself just fine. I was just taken by surprise, he pushed me from behind. I’m not sure exactly who it was, though. I have some doubts, but there were a couple of guys from the first, so that’s what I assume it was someone from that cohort.”

              “They were in group? Elysse…”

The kid didn’t reply, and Jessie got very worried. She didn’t like it at all. She planned on asking Mal if she had heard of anything. To hurt Elysse, it was probably someone who didn’t like Jessie either.

She jumped in the shower. The water hot water felt so good. She stayed there a little longer than planned, but she was just well in the shower. She couldn’t help but feeling tense about her day. She was mad at herself for being stupid, mad at that unknown person that hurt her little sister, mad at her own body to let her down today. She tried washing away the frustration, but it didn’t work that well.

She noticed her sister went out almost at the same time than her. Jessie was brushing her hair in front of the mirror when Elysse went out of her shower cabin.

              “I thought I was long, did you still have hot water?”

              “Uh, yeah, it just that I had to put myself in some awkward positions due to my injury. Water made me wince of pain.”

Jessie felt bad. She was so in her bubble, thinking about who could hurt her sister and her own problems that she never heard Elysse. She just gave the child a big hug.

              “Never forget I’m there for you if you need anything, ok? I don’t want to make a big case with what you just told me, even if it’s very hard not to, but if you ever want to talk or want me to do anything…” Jessie said. She was making a big case out of it, and she knew it.

              “Yeah yeah, you’re there and you’ll defend me. Seriously Jessie, you’ve already told me, like, three times. Now, where were you this morning and at lunch?”

Jessie bit her lips. “I forgot the time in my morning jog and for lunch, I was out in my cabin. I wasn’t feeling that well.”

She decided to skip details. She was the big sister, she didn’t have to tell everything to Elysse.

Jessie decided to brush Elysse’s hair. The child let her do it. It ended up with a hug. Jessie wanted to invite her sister for a diner somewhere at the end of the week, but she wasn’t sure if she still had her permission after that morning, so she stayed silent about it.

They both left the baths to join their cohort. Jessie looked at Elysse talking to Hazel from afar. She took her cellphone in her pockets.

              JF: Elysse says she’s been pushed by someone probably from your cohort. Who do I have to kill?

It took twenty minutes for her girlfriend to reply.

              MP: Some people were making fun of her because she’s your sister and you were late this morning, and that you were the little miss perfect not so perfect. I just hope they didn’t invent that we had sex.

She would have rather taken a slap in the face. Elysse was bullied because of her? She couldn’t believe, and she was very mad at herself. Tears rolled down her face. She understood why her sister didn’t want to talk about it and was that much on the defensive.

Penny saw her face when she got into her sword-fighting class.

              “Hey, I thought Leila mentioned you were a bit better. What’s wrong?”

              “Some teens from another cohort hurt my sister. I don’t know if I should get involved. She doesn’t want to tell me who. But they do it on her because she’s weaker than me. They are jealous that I’m being called up for camps, I’m pretty sure. That’s what Mal said.”

She let her frustration lead her as she fought against Penny with a gladius. After half an hour learning battling styles, and practicing, Jessie was exhausted. She was probably still fighting whatever virus got her that morning.

 

A couple of days passed, and Jessie didn’t do anything stupid like a perfect legionnaire. She tried watching a little bit her sister to figure out who was bullying her and if he started again. Mal and Jill though she was overprotective and let her sister do her things, but she couldn’t help.

              “If I know who it is, I swear I’ll try to help out or tell them to go mess up with someone else, ok? Now, you cannot do anything to help so stop worrying. You’re worst than your parents, for gods’ sake!” Mal said, once, tired of seeing Jessie spying on Elysse. “Now, can you kiss me before going to whatever you need to be right now?”

Jessie let a little laugh go out of her mouth. Kissed her on the cheeks before running to Mars field where she was supposed to help out on building something for War Games. She enjoyed looking at the plans, figure out what they were supposed to do, giving her ideas to make it better. She pointed out something that didn’t work by looking at the plan. On paper, it made sense, but Jessie knew there would be needed more support, or the walls and ceiling would fall from the weight. She tried to understand why she was the only one seeing it. She was at camp doing engineering for only about eight or nine months (she had basically forgotten which month she got at camp), and she could point out little details compared to people there since years.

When she was done with building up walls, she went to Josh.

              “Is it ok if I go out for diner tonight, and miss tonight’s activities?”

Jessie wanted to have a spa night. She was more than needed it lately. She felt stressed about her sister, she was starting to get stressed about getting called or not for a soccer camp. She had had a dream the night before that John Herdman was discussing with his staff on who to call. It had been two days now, and neither Jason nor Frank had come to her to get the phone at the Principia. And she stressed on her sister finding out about her relationship with Mal. She was not ready to come out. She didn’t sleep at night, dreaming of fights with the child. “Chose between her and me,” Elysse said in her dreams. Jessie woke up a couple of times, crying. Penny even questioned her in the middle of a night.

Josh gave her the ok. Jessie was very happy. She planned on going to see Hazel too. It would be a surprise sister night. Jessie didn’t really know the second centurion from the fifth cohort. To Jessie, Dakota was just a Kool-aid addict. She didn’t see herself asking him to take out Elysse at a restaurant.

She saw Hazel in the stables, feeding some pegasi. It was no secret the centurion loved horses. She had become friend with a horse named Arion, the fastest horse ever (the son of two gods or something like that, welcome in Mythology!) and was the only one who could call him and ride it.

              “Hi Jessie. Stables duty tonight?”

              “Uh, no, I was actually searching for you. Is it ok if Elysse is not there for diner tonight? You know, we all can take a night off once in a while, and I planned on paying a resto night. Just me and her, for once.”

Hazel smiled. “Sure. I’ll tell Dakota. I assume she doesn’t know yet, if you are the one asking?”

Jessie nodded, claiming it a surprise. She left after giving a pegasus some carrots. She didn’t hate horse at all, she just never got the change to ride one. There was only few pegasi at camp. One of them belonged to Reyna. Jessie saw the praetor visiting hers once in a while, probably when her boyfriend was taking care of the baby.

Jessie waited for the legionnaire countdown by five. She went to her sister as the centurions counted. Some people looked at her weirdly, probably thinking, “What are you doing in the fifth cohort? Go in yours!” Jessie tapped on her sister’s shoulder.

              “Jessie, why are you here, go away, I don’t want us to get into trouble!”

Jessie was going to talk when Leila said loudly, “Fleming, Jessie, excused.” It didn’t take more than five seconds for Dakota to excuse Elysse.

              “Why are we excused? For what?”

              “We’re going in town tonight. I’m paying you diner, and then we’ll go to the spa. Is it ok with you?”

Elysse looked at her big sister with surprised, but happy eyes. Her smile was big. She almost jumped of excitement. They both left the legion, making their way to Terminus, the god protecting the city.

              “Who do we get here? Oh, the Fleming sisters? Why this visit as you are supposed to be eating?”

              “We’re going out for tonight,” Elysse said, smiling to the talking statue the best she could.

They got the ok to pass. Jessie led her sister to a restaurant she liked. Not too pricey, but not fast food either. She knew Elysse would find something she liked there, not like that expensive restaurant she had once taken Mal to. Elysse was in a phase she didn’t eat much, and trying food was a big no. After a look at the menu, the kid decided it would be a spaghetti. Not very surprising.

They ate talking about school and classes, and fighting. Elysse seemed to love her experience in the legion so far. She was starting to make some friends at school too, which made Jessie feeling good about. She was worried there would be a line at school between legionnaires and regular schoolers.

The best part of the night was the spa. It was relaxing. Jessie enjoyed her massage. She was very needing one, she could feel the pain as the guy gave it. Definitely some tension in her muscles! She had asked for a more sportive massage, compared to her sister, who by the sound she made, was very relaxed. Probably near falling asleep. When it was done, Elysse had a sleepy head, and they went to the sauna. Jessie was surprised when she saw a boy from the first cohort already there.

              “Oh well, the Flemings! What are you doing here, freaks!”

              “I don’t know, trying to relax and enjoy a nice evening, like you?” Elysse replied before Jessie could think of an answer.

              “Kids don’t have their place here, I’m sorry. Leave!”

Jessie was frustrated. “You call us freak, and now she has to leave? No way. Elysse, we’re staying. If you have a problem with her, you will leave.”

The boy looked insulted. “I was there first.”

The boy made a little disgusted face. “You athletes, you always think you are better than anyone, uh? You know what? You are just a bitch who think everyone has to accept your caprices.”

He continued with plenty of insults, which frustrated both Flemings, enough that they decided to leave. Jessie was bright red, tired of being called names. Elysse was too.

              “Why do they always treat you this way. And if they don’t like you, why do they pass their frustration on me?”

Jessie realised. “He’s one of the guys giving you trouble, uh?”

Elysse nodded, tears in her eyes.

              “Come on, let’s find another bath where we won’t be bothered, ok? I love you, I wouldn’t let him point you the door and leave you alone like he wanted. I’m just disappointed he won this time.”

It became quite silent as they sat in a hot bath. Elysse put her head on Jessie’s shoulder (or at least tried) and relaxed there. They didn’t stay long, time was passing and Elysse had to go to bed. Jessie was a little disappointed about how the night ended, but she knew she couldn’t say anything about it.

She went to bed trying not to cry. She was pissed. She shared her feeling with Jill and Penny as she prepared herself to bed. When she finally fell asleep, she had a night without dreams, and it was at least some positive.

 

The next day, she received a texto from Jason, asking to take the phone in the next three minutes, or he’d take the number. Jessie replied she was near, and ran to the Principia. She was very curious. Was it finally the call she had hoped for?

When Jessie hung up the phone in Jason’s office, she was very excited. John Herdman wanted her for the next camp. He repeated how he had liked what he had seen during the last camp and friendly. He wanted her again. This time, it was for two weeks of centralisation followed by two friendly games against Sweden in Los Angeles. Jessie couldn’t be happier. But she had to ask permission first. She’d be gone for a bit less than a month. She wasn’t that sure about being able to go. She was a little disappointed to tell Coach Herdman she’d give her answer another day. The man seemed understanding.

Frank noticed his legionnaire’s happiness when Jessie went out of the office. Even if she wasn’t sure she’d have a yes, it was very flattering to be called again. Jessie couldn’t be prouder of herself.

              “Was it a coach? Are you leaving once again?”

Jessie couldn’t help but smile, her tongue sticking out from her teeth like usual. But her smile faded. What if someone said no?

              “Wow, congratulations! Do you want me to tell Jason, Josh and Leila, or you’d rather do it yourself?”

She took a few minutes to think it out.

              “Can I? And if I have trouble to go, then I call you for help?”

The Chinese descendant laughed.

              “As far as I know, now you are part of our legion, you should be fine. Josh considers you as human now, and deep inside of him, he’s just jealous you are a good soccer player. Leila is a proud centurion. She’ll accept no problem.”

Phew. Jessie left over the moon. She’d be able to play again next to her idols. Sinclair. Matheson. She was wearing number 8 with the youth team for a reason. She wondered if 17 would be her number for a while. She didn’t want Diana to retire soon. The number she had had for the friendly seemed ok to her. She wasn’t picky about what she was wearing. As long as the jersey was Canada red! She was looking forward to wearing the Soccer Canada logo once again.

She directly went to find Leila or Josh. She wanted to tell her friends, but she needed the approval first. She didn’t have trouble finding them, and they both agreed. Josh did a little face, but he hadn’t any good reasons to keep her at camp.

She was overheard by a camper from the first cohort. He called her names.

              “I don’t understand why you are privileged like this. Why can _she_ leave camp at will? Seriously, a soccer camp? That’s the most ridiculous reason I ever heard.”

She didn’t even reply back. Not worth anything.

After everyone approved, and she was surprised they let her go without much trouble. It was a first. But Leila and Frank were just so proud of her. Jason thought it would be cool. Josh, he didn’t have the choice since he was the one usually to hold back. He couldn’t mess with Jessie now, he didn’t have any good reason. His own pleasure to see her in New Rome was not enough.

She saw Mal going to the Principia. She’d tell her girlfriend later. She was actually a bit nervous to tell her. She knew Mal was waiting for a call from the U17 program. Her centurions were not as open. If she had the call, the chances she goes were very thin, once again.

She went instead in direction of the temple hills. Prayed her mother things would go well at camp. Prayed all the gods that she wouldn’t be attacked. That Mal will be happy for her. Jessie knew last time, she was a little envying.

She was in her mother’s temple when she heard footsteps behind.

              “Praying mom again? What is it this time?”

She didn’t have to turn around. She could recognize this voice anytime. She looked back. She had guessed right. With her short blond hair, her freckles that were almost identical to Jessie’s. Elysse was standing behind her.

              “I… John Herdman called me,” she said with a little smile.

The child smiled immediately. She knew how much it meant for her older sister. She hugged her.

              “Go kick some ass there. Show them it’s not because you’re the youngest that you are not good. Prove your place.”

Jessie smiled. Elysse was as competitive as her. Mixing Victoria’s blood with Fleming’s was dangerous. For other’s ego.

Jessie had an engineering class starting soon, so she ran to it. Her grin never faded out. It was rare she couldn’t focus during that class, but today was hard. Instead of thinking about materials to use, she was thinking soccer ball, Christine Sinclair and beep test. The teacher called her up a couple of times to ask questions. Usually, she answers no problem. Instead, she found herself asking twice, “what was the question again?” that got laughs from classmates.

During diner that day, she found Mal quite silent. Lisa, Penny and Jill seemed to notice too. They tried having a conversation, but Mal was just not reacting to anything. Jessie saw Penny make a sign to the other girls. They left the couple alone.

              “Bae, what’s going on?”

The girl just shrugged. Jessie got scared. What if Bobby told her she was going to a Canada camp before she had the chance to tell her?

              “I heard about you having the call. And having a yes.”

Mal had gone to the principia. Jessie hadn’t asked why, Mal’s family didn’t own a demigod cellphone like her dad did. Seeing Mallory taking a phone call in Jason’s office wasn’t rare. She had assumed it was her parents or siblings.

Could it be something else?

              “I saw you went to the Principia not long after me. I wanted to tell you but since you were called on the phone and I had a class…” Jessie half lied. She had not search for her girlfriend after asking her leaders for permission. She had gone praying instead.

              “I got called too. But Michael refused, once again! I leave my meeting with him, and then I hear Jacob complaining how some legionnaires can go out without barely asking.”

Mal looked at her with an accusing face. She was pissed. And Jessie could feel a little jealousy. She didn’t know what to say. Her smile disappeared as soon as Mal mentioned not being able to leave. She hated the first cohort centurion as much as Mal did. Michael was like Josh when Jessie arrived, but all-year long. She felt bad for her girlfriend.

There was an awkward silence for a couple of minutes. There was nothing Jessie could say to help. She tried taking Mal’s hand to show some support, even if normally she’d never show affection in public because way too many people didn’t know, but Mal declined, and crossed her arms in frustration.

              “Mal, if I could change your centurion, I would. But there’s nothing I can do, really. I am not in your cohort, and I’m still in my first year, Michael would never listen to me. I’m sorry.”

She almost said out loud a, “thank you for not being happy for me and for your support,” but she held it just in time. Jessie knew it was selfish. Mal was more needing her than Jessie needed her girlfriend to be happy for her. Jessie was just worried about that jealousy starting between them. She wished it wouldn’t last as long as last time.

After another five minutes of not talking, Jessie stood up. Jessie knew she was better to leave. She hesitated between going to Penny and Jill or Elysse. Lisa was already back with third cohort friends. Jessie wasn’t sure she wanted to share what was going on with her cohort members. She was good friends with them, but in respect for Mal, it was maybe better to keep things silent for now. The last thing she wanted to do was bragging she was called up to her friends. And if she went to their table, it could end up like that. They were so happy when she was called for the friendly, they would never shut up.

She sat next to Elysse without asking permission.

              “What are you doing here? We’re talking things you don’t have to hear. Go away.”

Oh really? What was against her today? Did she say the wrong prayer or something? Couldn’t the gods help her out with relationships today? And what could Elysse be talking about that she didn’t want her sister to hear? She had a crush on someone? There were no boys her age in the whole legion! She was crushing on an elementary school boy? Wasn’t she a little young for that? What else could she be secret about? Things were going well last night, what changed with today?

She rolled her eyes and left. _And fuck it, I’ll eat alone outside_. The sun was going down, and the view with the hills around was worth a picture… if only they were allowed! That’s be the kind of picture people would think you put a filter on, when it’s actually just breathtaking. At least, there was someone trying to cheer her on. Guess she prayed the wrong god today?

              “Thank you, Apollo,” she murmured.

She sighed. Elysse was showing no interest in being around her sister. Jessie wasn’t that worried, she did sometimes. Usually, it was ok, but Jessie needed her little sister’s smile tonight. Mal was jealous. And Penny and Jill had other things to do than listen to her complain about it, because let’s be honest, lately she complained a lot, and they were probably tired of it. If it was not that War Games was starting in fifteen minutes, she’d go running to clear her mind. She was due for that. But she couldn’t skip the games. It was forbidden. And it would give Mallory Pugh and Jacob Price another reason to talk in her back. Or Josh to go back on his decision to let her go.

 

A couple of days passed, and Jessie could see things were not that well. Jacob, and the boy from the first cohort Jessie still couldn’t put the name to, decided to mess up with Elysse. They found a way to enter into the fifth cohort, and stole a few things. Jessie saw red when Elysse admitted she had her favorite blanket, a teddy bear and her toiletries missing. She had to think twice before seeking vengeance, though. First, it was not her kind, second, it would get her staying here instead of flying for her camp. And she already had tickets reserved at her name, now. But she definitely wished she could give trouble to those two stupid heads.

              “Jessie, seriously, calm down. We’ll make sure they don’t continue like that while you are gone. We’ll have them being punished, don’t worry,” Penny said in class when Jessie told her what was going on.

Jessie sighed. She felt like every time something great happened, there was something negative coming in. Elysse was bullied, Jessie was always in trouble or being called names, Mal didn’t talk to her. How could she not be frustrated? And she was like every other teenager living in this world, sometimes, she was moody. Who wouldn’t? She felt almost bad for leaving when her sister probably needed some support. Elysse swore she didn’t need her, and wanted Jessie to take the opportunity, but Jessie started doubting everything.

              “Jess, if you call John Herdman, Finn and Jacob will win. That’s what they want, to bully me enough that you don’t want to leave me alone. I know you are scared they’ll hurt me, but I need to learn to defend myself. At worse, I am improving with a knife, I can hurt them if they don’t stop.”

Jessie made a little smile, imagining Elysse threatening Jacob with her golden dagger. “Don’t put yourself into trouble while I’m gone, ok? You know Hazel will tell me if something happens with you, no matter where I am.”

Elysse gave a hug, nodded, and ran away for a class she had forgotten about. Jessie’s bad habits were starting to be her little sister’s or what? She didn’t want to be the bad example for her sister.

 

Mal finally came to her that night.

              “I heard Jacob and Finn have to clean out pegasi’s poop tonight. I’m happy Michael and Marcus punished them. If you want, I can keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t approach your sister while you are gone? I know you’re a little worried about her.”

Jessie made a little smile. She was happy to hear about it.

              “Am I asking too much questions to myself lately? Is it normal I have regrets about having the call?”

Mal paled. “Don’t tell me it’s because I reacted wrong. Because if it is, I really am sorry. You deserve to go. I’m sorry I acted jealous. I’m happy for you. It just took me a little bit of time to realise it. That was why I came to you, I wanted to apologize. I was stupid.”

Jessie made a comprehensive smile. Apologies accepted, without any problem. She started missing her girlfriend’s smiled, the recomfort she gave her when things didn’t go her way. The past week had been tough, really. Enough that Jessie started crying silently. All the emotions she had felt the last couple of days came back at the same time.

              “Shhh I’m here. I love you. I would use my free night to take you out, but you already went with Elysse. But I think we both have free time at four, if you want to practice some shooting before your camp. We could do a crossbar challenge?”

Jessie laughed. Mal was so simple. That was one of the reasons why she loved her as much. She calmed Jessie’s complicated mind. She didn’t think too much compared to her.

 

The next morning, Mal grabbed Jessie by the arm after class.

              “Hey there beautiful. I have an idea for you and me.”

Jessie suddenly got curious. Did Mal wanted to take her out on a date or something? Because she had said the previous night they couldn’t. And Jessie almost got scared. What was it? Was she in trouble?

              “If it’s a diner out, I already used my permission this month, and I told you that already.”

Mal let a little cute laugh. “Nah, not that. When you’ll be back from your soccer camp, we will, though. I’ll miss you, when you’ll leave in three days. Especially that cute smile you just made. This one too.”

Jessie smiled back, and then made a hand movement signifying “Come on, continue, what’s next?”

              “I’d like you to join me tonight, when everyone will be asleep. No, don’t look at me like that, no one will find out, I have a plan!”

Jessie didn’t realise she had made a face, but she doubted it was a good idea. She didn’t want her heart to take over her brain again, like that day on the hill. She couldn’t. She had a camp she wanted to go. Risking getting caught was not worth it. She explained to Mal. But she replied, adding some explanations.

              “Bobby told me he repaired the alarm system on my barrack door this week. He is into programming, and he knows how the system works now. He could disactivate it for one night if I give him enough money for him to buy a new videogame, and if you accept putting it in your bag once out of here, to give him when you get back.”

Jessie wasn’t even surprised to hear Bobby Andrews making a deal over a game. He was way too often caught playing with mortal console.  Jessie didn’t know which one he had sneaked in camp.

              “He wants me to buy him a game, and enter it here? That is the easy part, we’re not in prison to my knowledge, and no one looked at my bags when I came back from the friendly earlier this fall. How many denarii does he want for that? But… I get your centurion might never find out by the door, but what about mine? You centurions being boys, they are not in your barrack, but what about the nine girls around us. If one of them wake up to change a tampon or something? And how do I get out of my barrack without being caught?”

Mal made a surprised face. Jessie knew she was the smarter, once again. Mal had not thought about Josh, Leila, and the nine people in her barrack. Jessie knew Penny and Jill could cover, but how? It was just not worth it.

              “I’ll come up with a plan before you leave next week,” Mal announced before making a sign she had to go.

Jessie rolled her eyes. Yeah, Mallory Pugh would find a way for Jessie to sneak out in the middle of the night. Jessie appreciate her efforts to spend more time together, but Jessie was not a risk‑taker in that kind of situation. She was called for one centralisation camp with Canada, she couldn’t make anything stupid. She was the brain of her couple, she was the one to bring Mal back on earth.

Jessie went to her sword fighting class. Exhausted herself against Penny. The both of them were getting better and better at it and it was reassuring for Jessie. For once, she felt she could have a chance against a monster, that her training was worth something.

When she sat at her usual table that night to eat with Penny and Jill, she found a piece of paper. Jessie was curious, it made her think of when she was a kid and her friends would pass her notes with names of crushes and other stupid things.  Who wrote it? Was it meant for one of them?

              “Look at it, what can happen? It could be someone who forgot it…”

              “Jill, who sits at our table? Unless it’s Mal or Lisa, I don’t really see…”

They were cut by a girl behind them, and said, rolling her _r_ , with a French accent.

              “It’s from your friend from the one cohort.”

Jessie realised after looking at her for a couple of seconds that it was Chloé Aurard talking. She always had to double-check to figure out which twin it was. They looked alike a lot. Jessie would be very surprised if they weren’t identical.

The note was from Mal, then. Because Jessie didn’t have any other friends in the first cohort. Some enemies, yes, though. She was pretty sure even Mal didn’t have any friends there. Before hanging out with Jessie, she hung out with a girl from the second. Mal’s best friend had passed away in the spring when visiting family in Idaho. That was not long before Mal started hanging out with Lisa more. Jessie and Mal already talked to each other back then because of soccer, and things just went naturally. Mal and Lisa were as close as Jessie was of Penny and Jill. And the five of them got along quite well. It was just nice.

Seeing Jessie was hesitating to take the note Mal had left, Penny took it.

              “Pen, no!” Jessie said, not too loud because she didn’t want to bring attention. But she knew what was probably written on it, and didn’t want anyone to find out.

Penny was taller than Jessie, so she just had to lift her hand to prevent Jessie to take it. Which she did. Before reading it, a little dumb smile on her face.

              “Oohh. There’s someone with cute plans out here…”

              “Penelope Oleksiak! You’re better giving me this before someone else gets involved.”

              “Don’t worry, we’ll help you girls out. Right Jill?”

Chloe looked at them amused. Looked at her twin. Said something in French Jessie couldn’t understand from the classes she had had growing up. Jessie was a little insulted. She had no clue what Mal had written on, but it looked to be a certain plan to get them to sleep together one night.

Jill finally stood up for Jessie, climbed on a sofa, took the note, and gave Jessie without even looking. The note was folded in half anyway.

Jessie finally looked at it.

              _Around 1 AM. Pretend you have your period and stained your pants or something, but instead of taking a new set of PJ, take sport clothes. Leave your cabin to “go at the baths”. Return in your barrack ten minutes later to open the door, but don’t enter. Go in my place instead. Around the time you go jog, go open the door again. Do whatever you want, but don’t enter (you’re supposed to be out, right?), so I suggest coming back to my barrack. Then, go take your stuff for a shower at the time you usually come back, when people are awake, fitness clothes on. I’ll try making you sweaty before, so it’s more credible ; )._

Jessie turned red as she read the last part. “Penny, did you read until the end?” She really wished she didn’t, but with what Penny had said, she doubted it.

The Torontonian just laughed. “I might have. Give us the details tomorrow morning? So, when does your period starts?” she said, blinking.

Jessie punched her on the shoulder. “Shut up, no!” and Jillian got curious. She didn’t know what was happening, and didn’t like that, clearly. Jessie put the paper in her jeans pocket, hoping no one would know about that. She totally knew what Mal had in mind, when she said she could make her sweat. It was not a morning jog.

              “I’ll tell you later, J,” Penny add, to shut the American up.

Jessie realised Chloé and Anaïs were still looking at them, and got scared on how much they had understood. They didn’t have the note, but Lisa probably told them Mal and her were dating. Chloé hadn’t say girlfriend, but it could be she forgotten the English word for it.

              “Do _not_ tell anyone about the note, ok? If you understand something of what Mal has in mind, please shut up, ok?” Jessie asked, looking at the French girls. She tried talking the slowest and with the easiest words to understand.

Jessie sat and stayed silent for the whole diner. She was unsure of Mal’s plan. It was risky if she got caught. She was still afraid someone would see her in the first cohort barrack. She knew Leila and Josh would ask why she left hers, even for ten minutes. And Jessie was not that good of a liar. But it was almost her last day at camp Jupiter in a month. It was tonight of never. And after all that had happened lately, she was in need of some nice kisses with Mal. Feeling her hot body next to hers. Sleeping in spoons. Just thinking about it, Jessie felt wet.

She had a lot of trouble sleeping that night. She was scared she would fall asleep and never wake up for the _Plan_. She had made a little naughty smile to Mal, when they left to play War Games. She had given up over staying nice and perfect. It was the Mallory Pugh effect. Desire took all the place in Jessie’s mind while she tried defending the flag during the game. She never been worse at it, and she had been building the wall! She should’ve known all the places where legionnaires came from, but she couldn’t focus. Damn it, Mal!

Jessie’s clock finally showed one o’clock. Jessie pretended waking up surprised, in case someone was awake. Checked her bed like there was a humid spot. Hopefully, the girls around would think of period and not peeing in bed. But she didn’t really care. She left at noon the next day, she wouldn’t hear people talk in her back very long.

She took out some sport gear like it was her pyjama. Went back to her bed like she was taking out the sheets to clean them up. And she left. Once outside she went to the baths, waited there five minutes and came back, so the timing would feel quite logic. She knew anyway there was the same system installed at the baths to know who went and when. If Leila or Josh checked, they had their proofs there.

She pretended entering her barrack, but closed the door, still outside. She then discreetly went to Mal’s barrack, who was totally the other way of the camp. She opened the door, Bobby was supposed to have disactivated it already.

Jessie knew perfectly which bed was Mal’s. She did her best to be silent as she walked towards it. She crawled in, and tried not to be too disappointed to see Mal was sleeping. Jessie would be the big spoon, then. She played a little in her hair, trying to figure out if Mal was sleeping lightly. No reaction after a nice kiss in the neck. Ok, then, they’d cuddle more in the morning.

Jessie was woken up when the sun started rising out. It was Mal. “Time to go in your barrack, bae,” she whispered. Jessie looked around. Everybody seemed to be sleeping peacefully. There were at least three girls snoring. Perfect. Jessie continued the plan at perfection, and came back into Mal’s arms. This time, she let her be the little spoon, and hugged her. She started kissing Jessie, but the Canadian got scared. What if someone wakes up? Mal whispering cute things in her ear was not something you could call subtility. And even if they were under the covers, you could definitely tell they were being touchy.

              “Stop being scared of them waking up. I have contacts who might have slip a few drops of sleeping potion in their food last night.”

Jessie looked at Mal with big eyes. They could, literally, have sex there, in a bed next to nine girls, and no one would wake up?

Jessie stopped thinking too much at that moment. She let herself go completely, for once. Even Mal was surprised when Jessie took out her pyjama top to reveal some skin. She was thirsty of Mal’s dark skin from the sun. They both started breathing more heavily as they were in the middle of a make out session. A very hot make out session.

              “Do you want to…” Mal proposed, being very suggestive, slipping down her pants a little.

Jessie hesitated. She wasn’t sure it was a good idea. She hesitated about being ready for more than this. But she was very tempted. Was she there in her relationship with Mal?

A look at the clock decided for her. If she didn’t want the morning call to wake all girls up, and letting her in a bad position, she was better returning to her cabin. Why was always the time against her?

Mal complained a little, she was clearly really asking for more, but Jessie was the down-to-earth in their couple. The most chicken, too, probably. Mal didn’t seem to be afraid of anything. But she was already got refused a camp with USA. Jessie was flying today. She couldn’t mess up by being seen in another’s bed. If Josh found out, not only she would be deeply punished, she would probably be dead.

 

She dressed up and ran to her cabin, at the same time than for morning jog. She took some stuff for the shower, and left the people sleeping. She heard someone enter in the bathroom when she entered into a shower.

              “So, your night? I woke up at three and looked at your bed by curiosity.”

Jessie was relieved to realised it was only Penny.

              “Great. I wish I had a little bit more time. It was nice. I slept well, an arm around Mal’s waist.”

              “I won’t have any detail, uh?”

              “Oleksiak, shut up!”

She knew Penny was already at the Baths because that was where the new pool was build. Jessie still had to visit it. Penny usually woke up with Jessie’s alarm to go swim. Well, a morning on two. The other morning, they’d all go lift weight. Jessie usually alternated between jogging and soccer when Penny was at the pool. She knew she had free time anyway to do the training she didn’t do in the morning, so she usually went with what felt right for her little sleepy brain.

Jessie joined her cohort for the morning classes, like nothing had happened. She didn,t want to look suspicious. She tried reprimanding a laugh when she heard Michael calling Bobby because the alarm was “broken again”. She saw Josh coming to her.

              “Left the barrack for ten minutes last night. What happened?”

              “I got my period early,” Jessie replied with the driest tone possible. She knew she’d turn red again. But at worse, he’d take that for a little embarrassment.

She went to her class hoping he wouldn’t say anything. She crossed her finger that Reyna’s greyhounds were with her, watching Lena in the praetor’s apartment, and not hanging around the camp. She got lucky that day.

She was happy when she realised Mal was on Tunnel duty that day. She could just give a soft goodbye kiss with no one but Lisa to know.

 

Jessie took a deep breath when she touched the ground for her camp. It was time to show her strengths. She looked at the time on her phone. 6 PM. The team meeting was just the next day. It gave time to settle in her hotel room. She texted her dad to tell him she had a safe flight.

Being a demigod, you never really knew how the flight would be. Turbulence could be caused by a monster. And if Jupiter, or Zeus like Greeks called him, didn’t like your godly parent, plane wasn’t safe. Penny planned to take buses when she leaves camp for any reason. Neptune and Jupiter… let’s say they never agreed on anything. No wonder why Neptune kept himself to sea level while Jupiter took the sky. At least, Victoria wasn’t at war with the most powerful roman god. But, if there was a meeting on Mount Olympus (read Empire State Building 600th floor), and Jupiter and Victoria didn’t agree while Jessie was in a plane, it could be dangerous for her. She always prayed her mother to get along with him before a flight. In case she’d listen or care enough about one of her go-figure-how-many children she had.

Jessie waited for her luggage to finally show up, checking her social media accounts. Elysse, who had created herself an account on DProfile (something that looked a lot like Facebook, but with the following/follower thing like Instagram or Twitter), had posted

_Good luck to the best sister for her camp. I know it’s not game time yet, but Go Canada still! And bring me a picture with the Great Sinclair! #Football #CanadaRed #SoccerCamp #sisters #JessieFlemingEveryone_

Jessie didn’t know if she should be embarrassed about the post or proud. Her sister was so cute. But she wasn’t sure if legionnaires would like that. The last thing she wanted was her sister to bring out trouble because of her. Jessie could handle being called bad names, but she didn’t want it to impact her little sister, despite it happening anyway. She was just so young. She didn’t deserve bad attention or being intimidated because Jessie was an athlete with high hopes to represent her country.

She updated her profile with a picture of the airport, for any demigod followers she had. It was a rare thing to post pictures, it was forbidden inside Jupiter Camp’s border. Good for Jessie, she hated being taken in picture. But she loved to photograph landscapes or art designs. Hopefully, she’d catch up on that this month.

She finally saw her red backpack. The rest of her things was probably coming too. But at least, she knew she had one suit, her soccer shoes, and most of her equipment with her. She felt relieved to see all her stuff coming after another minute of waiting.

She made her way to the exit. She had been told someone would pick her up. The last thing she expected was to see one of her teammates at the exit, looking at the arrival board. Jessie could see the player looking at it with a little confused look. She looked down to her clock. Replaced her curly hair behind her ear as she looked up to the board again.

              “Waiting for someone, Melissa?” Jessie asked, a little smile on her face, when she got to her, still unnoticed.

The veteran startled. Looked at the girl.

              “Where the hell are you coming from? I don’t see any flights coming out from Ontario. You told us you were from there last friendly, right? Or I understood wrong?”

Jessie smiled to one of her favorite players. Shrugged.

              “Yeah, but I wasn’t in London. I currently go to school in California. I though I told you guys?”

Jessie froze, scared she was getting confused in her half lies. But she was pretty sure that was what she had said. She knew it was the lie she told her friends at home. And she wanted to go with the same kind of direction with everyone, just in case her friends ever met a player, they wouldn’t have two different stories. Jessie hated lying. It was one of the hardest parts of being a demigod. The worst was not being able to tell Tristan. It broke Jessie’s heart to lie to her big brother.

Tancredi guided her to the car. She got an extra hand to bring out the luggage. Jessie was a little disappointed there wasn’t any snow, but she guessed it was a little early for that.

              “Come on, baby red, let’s get you in your hotel.”

Jessie looked at Melissa who was driving her way out of the parking area, with big eyes, despite Tanc not being able to see it unless leaving her attention from the road.

              “Baby red? What the…”

              “Well, you are in age to be in the U17 still and that’s how we call them. You’re the youngest on this team, did you not expect us to call you a cute little nickname? Oh, and you have a little bit of a baby face. Not as bad a DMath, but still…”

Jessie made a little face, rolled her eyes, and shrugged. She looked at the window. It was very dark out, she didn’t see much. She had a nice conversation with Melissa. Jessie tried keeping her calm, but Tancredi was her idol growing up. Having her favorite player get her at the airport was what Jessie needed to brighten her pretty boring day. Travelling was always exhausting and stressing to Jessie. The tiniest turbulence made her freak out scared of an attack, and she never knew if a monster was in undercover mode while at the airport or in a bus. It could be a security guard. The person who looked through your bags or made you a sign to walk at the metal detector area. Or the person who get you naked if you were chosen for a deeper search. Jessie was almost white when she took her plane in San Francisco because she was afraid of having to get naked, without any weapon to defend herself. Thanks god, she wasn’t attacked or anything.

The ride ended up in Jessie and Tancredi singing some Celine Dion songs on top of their lungs. Tanc owned a hit compilation cd, and that was what was playing that evening. Jill would laugh on how Canadian it was. Jessie just wanted to have a video of it and send her, but Mel wasn’t supposed to know Jessie owned a phone. The second thing Jessie hated the most about demigods. Just why?

 

It didn’t take long for Jessie to fall asleep that night. She had small talks with her roommate, but when her head hit the pillow, she was gone in dreams.

She dreamed of her brother partying and being pretty drunk. Then, Elysse being laughed at for waking up in the middle of the night scared because of a nightmare.

              “It’s two AM, guys, go back to your bed and mind your own business!” Frank said with a very dry tone to his legionnaires.

Hazel was there too, trying to comfort the child. Jessie wanted to take her in her arms, but she was miles away. She suddenly missed her, and it had only been a day.

              “I dreamed Jessie was dying,” the blond girl said, sobbing.

              “Jessie texted before you went to bed that she had arrived safely. Shhhh. Your sister is alright, I promise. I can message Mal to check out with her, but I’m pretty sure Jess’ sleeping at the moment.”

Jessie just wanted to tell her she was ok, that Elysse could go back to sleep, but she knew she wouldn’t hear. Jessie knew it wasn’t a dream, that she had travelled in her sleep to Jupiter Camp, but there was no way Elysse could feel her comforting presence. If she felt a presence at all, she probably would think it was a creepy ghost! She saw Hazel kissing goodnight Elysse before her dreams went back to Tristan. In the middle of a make-out session with a girl, bear on the table next to him. Jessie wasn’t sure if he had a girlfriend she didn’t know about yet, or if he was just very drunk. But she just wanted to have a night with no dreams, really. She didn’t want to know what her siblings were doing all the time while she was away, really. And Tristan looked quite wasted, she found it weird she saw that.

Jessie woke up the next morning. She felt tired, but at the same time, she couldn’t complain. She had a team meeting after breakfast, then gym, and she wasn’t sure how the rest of the day was scheduled.

She called Mal while Desiree was in the shower. To hear her voice. Just to talk with her.

              “I dreamed that Elysse was awake last night, she dreamed I was dead or something. Can you tell her I’m fine? That it wasn’t a premonition or something? If what I dreamed of was real, obviously. God, I hate when this happens, when my dreams are too realistic. You, how did you sleep?”

Mal reassured the Canadian. “I’ll talk to her. Have you told her we were dating? Because if not, she’ll wonder why we texted last night…”

Jessie swore. She didn’t. She was so afraid of her parents finding out. She asked Mal to be subtle about it. She didn’t want the child to find out because of Mallory Pugh. Jessie had to tell Elysse. Just not yet. It was still too soon. She was a kid.

She heard the shower stop.

              “Mal, I have to go, Des finished showering. She cannot know about the phone. Talk to you when I can. Tell Elysse I’ll call her in the next days. I love you. Bye.”

Jessie couldn’t even wait for an answer from her girlfriend. She took out some clothes, and hid the phone in the pocket of her luggage that contained underwear. No one would search in there, it was the perfect hideout.

She joined the team for breakfast. She didn’t really know who to sit with. She barely knew anyone. She was years younger than most teammates. She knew she was there for a test. But it was not staying aside that would help. She was relieved when Marie-Ève Nault made a sign to sit at her table. Jessie made shyly her way to the Quebecer. She was sitting with Josée Bélanger, Rhian Wilkinson and Diana Matheson that morning. Which made Jessie look very young. She was more than ten years younger than Josée, who was the youngest at the table before Jessie got there. It was a little intimidating.

 

The camp went just as usual. She was pretty sure she had left a good impression. It had tested her limits, she saw how her idols trained and she took some mental notes. She noticed where she had to improve. The twelve days of camp went by faster than Jessie expected. She was a little tired, but she knew better than complaining. She was used to tough training at Jupiter camp. A soccer camp was a little bit different, but it was the same kind of mental exhaustion. She was quite nervous about being attacked. She had to defend her team from being attacked by a giant one evening. She didn’t get away scarless. She had a few bruises too, despite Jessie taking ambrosia to heal. She lied about how she got them. She didn’t like it, but it’s not like she could explain.

She returned in California, this time with the team. They were playing Sweden in Los Angeles. They arrived two days before the first friendly game. Jessie noticed quite fast that her teammates called her babyred. Like the name they gave the U17. She tried not being pissed at it. She was the youngest.

She had a new roommate for the games. They had called up Rebecca Quinn for the friendlies. Quinn learned Jessie there was another camp after the games against Sweden, but this time Jessie wasn’t invited. Quinn was. Each their chances, Jessie figured out. She was just happy when she was called. Playing with the senior team was an accomplishment, she wanted to take everything she could in.

They won the first game 1-0. They looked on the Swedes weaker spots for the next game, and looked at theirs too, to improve. Jessie noted every mistake, hoping she could prove herself to the challenge if she played.

While most girls seemed a little surprise by the Californian weather, Jessie was quite already acclimated. They might laugh from her freezing the previous weeks, but she had been living in San Francisco area for almost a year!

They stepped on the field of Drake Stadium, and Jessie couldn’t help but thinking of UCLA Bruins. She knew the head coach of the team was interested in her, and would probably be in the stands to see her. It made her a little nervous. She didn’t know if coach Cromwell could come over to talk to her. She didn’t know how she could turn the woman down politely. Not that she didn’t want to go to UCLA, they had had plenty of good players, and were quite well ranked, but Jessie was stuck in the Valley. And she didn’t know how she could explain she wouldn’t play in NCAA. And being completely out of the radars at the moment. All those lies were a little bit stressful for the teenagers.

The last game ended up with a 1-1 draw. Jessie was quite happy with the overall result. Coach Herdman remembered her once again why he called her. He loved her vision of the game. How she saw the openings as she played. She returned to Camp Jupiter with confidence she’d be called back.

 

She was called back. It was even better than expected. John Herdman wanted her to centralise for the 2015 World Cup, who was to be held all across Canada. Jessie had to be convincing, but her centurions and praetors decided they couldn’t not let her go. It was once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Josh wasn’t that mean. He knew Jessie would be mad at him her whole life if he didn’t give the ok.

She ended up making the cut. She was the youngest player for sure, but she didn’t care. She got a few games where she had the chance to sub in. She took all those opportunities to try to help her team to go to the next round. They didn’t have the best tournaments, with one or two draws. They got eliminated in quarters. They were a little disappointed at their result, especially on home soil, but they could be happy with the crowd they got. Waves of red, cheering on them. Encouraging the team even when they were trailing. People screaming “Sinclair” all over the stadiums. It brought smile and red cheeks to Jessie every time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't update in a while. Sorry for that. I have half a chapter to write now, and this story will be done. I hope people have enjoyed it as much as I like writing it.   
> I skipped a little bit of time and went fast on the World Cup (I started following women's soccer during that tournament and i probably watched only a game or two, considering where their tournament ended). I just didn't feel like resuming 2 years at the beginning of my next chapter. The next one will be Rio's olympic Games, and then, the story finishes with a short epilogue I already wrote.   
> On that, i'll probably try to update my other stories of the series soon. Two of them are about soccer (Quinn and original), if anyone wants to read, and the other one is about a Swiss hockey player.


	9. I was going for imperial, not celestial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big Dreams... just like the World Cup. Just like the Olympics. Here Jessie is. Her next destination is Rio. How will her team do? Are they as a special group as they think? Is a gold medal a target they can aim? Jessie is ready to show the world what she can do, and prays the gods that nothing happens outside of good soccer games...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am with the last chapter. I think I officially broke my record for the longest one, once again. I will also publish the epilogue today too. For the 900 people that clicked on my story up to now, thank you. I had plenty of fun writing this and I hope you liked it. i don't plan on having another story with Jessie's POV for now, I'm not big on writing one-shots.   
> For those reading the one I did on Quinn, i know i haven't publish in a while on it, and it could be long. Some rumours could change 50% of my story, plus politics and policies that change the whole plot i had for that fiction. I'm still trying to figure out where i will go with it, but i might end up deleting it completely.

The year following the World Cup was great, soccer talking. Jessie was now part of the senior team. She had been called to pretty much every camp there was. They had decided not to call her back for the U17 level and it was totally alright for her. She didn’t want to admit, but the U20, the senior level, plus keeping up with training and learning as any other demigod, Jessie was sometime exhausted.

She called her parents one night of February. She was at camp Jupiter.

              “I feel like I have a crazy life. Like, the other day, I had orders from my coach to rest in the couple of days between two soccer camp I had, and I came back here, and I regretted as soon as I stepped in the tunnel. Resting is not very Romain, everyone reminded me when I asked to skip an activity.

              “Jessie, next time, come over in London if you want to rest. We’ll let you sleep until 10 AM like your brother did as a teenager if you need it. But promise me that you won’t complain about having to do more time at camp Jupiter. Don’t forget you’re living your dream. You are leaving for the qualifying for Rio in a week. My daughter might be an Olympian, and I know you want this as much as we are proud of you.”

Jessie started crying. She missed her parents. She had barely time to see them at Christmas. At least, Camp Jupiter let a week if you wanted, to visit your family for the holidays. But it made Jessie missing them more than anything.

At camp, things were sometimes going very well, sometimes not at all. People still talked a bit in her back. At least, they seemed to have let Elysse alone. Jessie was relieved about this one. When she was away, she often called her sister, to make sure things were ok for her.

              “Can you stop, Jessie? I am not a baby. Stop treating like one. I’m ten, I think I know how things work and I know how to defend myself, thank you.”

Jessie couldn’t help but being protective over her sister. Penny and Mal argued with her that she was a little too much. It was weird to say, but it was a reason Mal and Jessie fought over. Elysse. Yup, the little sister.

Overall, things were still quite great with Mal. They fought sometimes, but it was mostly for stupid things. Misunderstandings, like that time Jessie forgot she had told Mal about practicing soccer together one evening, and had gone polishing some armors instead. But their relationship was quite established.

Jessie had finally come out to Elysse. It was the first thing she needed to do to show to her little sister that she trusted her. Since Elysse went to bed before most legionnaires, it wasn’t hard to get an opportunity to talk just the two of them.

              “I have something I need to talk to you about. But can you promise me you won’t tell our family before I am ready to tell them?”

The blond child looked at her with big curious eyes.

              “I promise on the Stix I will stay silent about it and won’t tell mom and dad and Tristan.”

Jessie was surprised. Promising on the Stix was not something to take lightly. If you broke your promise, you could be deeply punished. She hadn’t asked Elysse to promise to that level.

              “Ok then… well… you probably noticed I’m quite close to Mal, that I hang out quite often with her…”

              “You are dating, and you don’t want me to tell our family about it, uh?”

Jessie was speechless. How could Elysse guess it on first try? She was so smart.

              “Don’t make that silly face, Jessie. I’m probably the last one in this camp to have known. Thank you, by the way. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

Elysse sounded pissed. Heartbroken maybe. Jessie bit her lips.

              “Elysse… I didn’t tell anyone. Rumours went out, I guess. I was just not ready to talk about it. And didn’t feel like shutting the rumours since they were true… I know I should have told you before, I’m sorry. I was just not ready. And I know you are probably mad at me, now, but you can’t let our parents know. I’m scared of their reaction.”

              “Go away. I don’t want to talk to you. I’m your sister, why would I be mad because you are with a girl?”

_Because people do all the time in this world. You’re just too young to know about it. Thanks for not saying ‘Yew, you kiss girls? It’s possible?’ though. I love you for that._

Jessie left with a sad face, tears in her eyes. Mal caught her as she was going to isolate herself in her barrack.

              “She doesn’t understand homosexuality and is mad you are loving me?” Mal tried, with an empathizing look.

              “Oh, no, she’s very open. She pissed at me. She already knew,” Jessie said the most dry possible. She was mad at herself for thinking Elysse would react wrong about it.

              “She’ll go over it. Don’t worry. She’s your little sister, she won’t be mad at you for long. I know Elysse won’t. And at least, she seems to be open about it. It could have been worse. She’s a nice little girl,” Mal said

Jessie decided to trust her girlfriend’s judgment on this one. They hugged a little on Jessie’s bed, even if it was forbidden. If someone found Mal there, they could be in trouble, but Jessie was too pissed to care about it.

 

Months passed, Jessie qualified without any problems for Rio, so did Mal, because she had had her spot on the US team, and they trained with their respective national teams the most they could. Jessie couldn’t say she had been that often at camp Jupiter. She knew she had still ten years of service to do in the legion, despite her second year starting in July. She knew she would reach at least fifteen of service, and she tried not thinking too much about it.

Reyna was back at her praetor spot. Jessie couldn’t say she was mad about it. She knew the woman wanted to give Jessie and other athletes a better chance at turning pro or practicing their sport. Frank had been nice letting them leave, but he wasn’t as good at asking the University of New Rome to have a team, and letting some campers leave the legion. Jessie hoped it would lead somewhere, but Reyna didn’t want to update her on it as long as the Senate didn’t agree to let them do it. Hopefully, when the ghosts gave the ok, things would go fast. Jessie would have started university the following fall, if she was a regular mortal. She had turned down way too many recruiters.

In the spring, another camper had had good news. Penny had and succeeded to make herself a spot on the Canadian squad going to Rio. When Jessie heard the news, she was so happy the whole cohort heard about it in seconds.

              “If we let the both of you go…,” Josh said, with a little smile. Jessie looked at him in panic. “Kidding, Jessie, we are sending you to Rio, we are not stupid.”

Jessie sighed. She was relieved. She didn’t want to text Penny, “Give your place to someone else” seconds after she shared the great announce.

 

July arrived fast, and France was the first place where the Canadian soccer team headed. For a friendly, and a visit of the Eifel Tower. Jessie enjoyed every second of it. Tried practicing some French, but the team seemed to rely on Josée, Buddy, Ann-Sophie, Gabrielle and even Rhian, more than anything.

Jessie was a little nervous as they went in Europe. She was a little scared of being attacked. She was always on her guards, and kept a dagger, a bottle of ambrosia and other useful stuff in a bag she kept with her. She wished she could keep her gladius with her, but it was way too big to have it in a backpack. Sometimes, she had scares. Like that time Janine Beckie asked to borrow a bottle because it was hot outside, and accidently took her nectar one.

              “Not this one,” Jessie said, trying to stay calm as she took it from the forward’s hands, but in her mind, she was deeply panicked. If Janine took just one sip, she would die in front of everyone.

              “What’s wrong with this one?”

Jessie didn’t reply, but Ann-Sophie gave her a look, and a “ _ça a passé proche_ ” which Jessie was still trying to figure out what it meant. Probably, “It was close,” but she wasn’t certain. The only thing she knew, Gabrielle looked at them like they were weird. The exact same face Janine had.

Jessie wasn’t very close of the Aurard twins at camp Jupiter. In fact, they never really talked, but it was also because of language barrier and not being in the same cohort. But one night, Jessie still texted to know if they had something, they had to visit that wasn’t in the popular things everyone thought about.

AA: You know, France is not just Paris. I am not from there at all. I’m more in south, near of Grenoble.

Jessie bit her lips. That wouldn’t help her to be friend with them, uh? Anaïs had pretty much turned her down. She didn’t wait for a better answer and joined her team.

 

The excitement came up when they took a flight in direction of Rio. Despite still fearing being in the air – please Jupiter, be nice to Ann-Sophie and I – she couldn’t wait to be on the Olympic village site. Jessie knew it wouldn’t feel real until she has that picture with the Olympic rings.

They were finally there. Jessie felt proud. She looked around her, feeling it was surreal. She was not the only one having that impression. She looked at all the new Olympians, and they all had the same face. While Rhian and Christine were trying not to laugh at them.

              “Eh! How many pictures did you take at your first Olympics? Can you tell us?”

The captain decided to stay silent, and Jessie supposed it was more than she had taken. Jessie had a camera, a real good camera, so she would be able to take pictures without messing up with _technology attracts monsters_. For once, she didn’t feel half with the group, half away. She was part of something she felt was special. She couldn’t tell what exactly was special with this particular squad of players, but she had that feeling they would get far in the tournament. Maybe even a gold medal. That was what they were coming for, in fact. And Jessie, as a good daughter of Victoria, was ready to give her everything to achieve this dream.

They weren’t staying long in town. They were not playing in Rio for now. The soccer tournament was all across the country. They had as many cities hosting the events than Canada for the World Cup, if not more. Jessie was a little bit nervous with all that travel, but at least, she was with Ann‑Sophie, not Penny. The latest didn’t have much choice but to come to Brazil by air, and planned on praying Jupiter and Neptune the whole way. Poor Penny. She was still in Canada, with the swimmers, and Jessie was a little disappointed they would probably not be able to go cheer on each other.

Before heading to Sao Paulo, Jessie sent a message to Mal. She wanted to know when they arrived. She got an answer from the text message she discreetly sent.

              MP: We were just behind you, we waited that you free the rings to take pictures. I wanted to come and say “Hi”, but with our teams’ rivalries, I decided against it. I didn’t want people to ask us questions.

Jessie smiled.

              JF: I have yet to tell the team we’re together… I know I should tell them, but else than Ann‑So and Quinny, I think no one guessed.

Jessie felt a little bad the team wasn’t aware of something so important for her, but at the same time, she knew she’d face mockeries. Or teasing. And she knew it was not something to announce during such an important tournament. The team needed to focus on their task, not love stories.

JF: Do you think we could have a moment where we would see each other before tomorrow? I haven’t seen you in a while and I miss you. You know, before we officially become rivals?

MP: It’s not planned that we face yet. We might not have to kill each other. I have to check out what’s our plans, when are you leaving Rio?

JF: Tomorrow morning. We play in Sao Paulo Wednesday.

MP: Meet me in ten in the hallway? And good luck against Australia!

Jessie frowned. Mal remembered they opened against them? She smiled. Looked at the clock. Around her. Would someone notice if she went away? They didn’t seem to realise she was holding a phone, at least.

She asked a player if they had a meeting or something planned in the next half an hour.

              “No, we have two hours of free time, why?”

Jessie blushed, before shrugging. “Nothing, just a question. My parents wanted me to call.”

It was total bullshit. She had not promise anything to her parents. They knew not to wait for a call. It was better like that. If she told them she’d call, and she forgets, they’d think she died or something bad happened to her. If she called without them knowing she’d do it, they’d be just happy she called, or surprised.

She went into her hotel room to have some privacy to talk to Mal. She had free time too and was also in her room. Jessie knew better than to go and knock at her door, she didn’t want to be seen by any American. What would she do if Tobin Heat or Alex Morgan saw her? She was dead. And no dagger would help her out of embarrassment.

She sneaked out of the hotel, so did Mal. Their meeting point was a McDonald. She bet there was one, there was always one in the Olympic village, no? She had not spotted it yet, though, and had to use her phone to find it.

She went to order something. It was fast food, so she didn’t really look at the menu. It was too tempting. Jessie hadn’t had that kind of greasy, gross food for a while, but she wanted to stay on a healthy diet. So, she just took a coffee she knew would taste nothing like the one of the New Rome Café. Sat at a table and waited. She had the time to chat a little with her father and Elysse before someone tapped her shoulder. Jessie startled, she was in her bubble.

              “Are you really surprised to see me? Who else did you expect?” Mal said, a grin in her face.

Jessie replied by a gentle punch to the shoulder, and softly whispered a, “I love you bae.” She couldn’t tell if people around were athletes, Brazilians, or journalists. The last thing she wanted was to make the front page because she had kissed Mallory Pugh of Team USA. She had on purpose changed clothes to be sure not to wear a Canada T-Shirt, that would have been way too obviously tagged her as athlete, especially that Mal was wearing USA gear.

They talked for an hour, but it looked like a minute. Jessie knew she had to leave, but she would have stayed with Mal for another hour. The worst is they didn’t have that much to say, but just be the two of them, it was good. Jessie ended up steeling a kiss before leaving.

              “Good luck in the tournament. Do you know if you’ll play?” Jessie asked, even if she knew it was probably not the best question, especially if the answer was “I’m gonna warm up the bench.”

Mal didn’t reply, only shrugged. Jessie decided to leave on that.

              “No matter how the tournament goes, I’ll still be proud of you and love you even more,” Jessie ended up saying. She received a warm smile.

Jessie ran to return to the hotel. It was further than what she expected it to be. Which meant she’d be just on time for the team meeting if she didn’t hurry up.

 

Jessie’s team opened the Olympics for Canada. It was quite simple: their game on Wednesday against Australia in Sao Paulo was two days before the Friday night ceremony. Which meant one thing: they’d watch the opening ceremony on TV, like Jessie had always done at home, no exception. As a child, she loved looking at Canada’s entrance, dreaming to be there one day. _You are Olympian now, but you cannot make the entrance in the stadium still…_ Jessie was a little sad when she realised they were based in Sao Paulo for the tournament. _Your entrance in the soccer stadium for the first match-up will be it, instead_ , she thought.

She was ready. She knew her role on the team. She had proven herself in the last year or so, and was a part of the group now. She expected to play most of the games, if not all. It depended if John decided to rest her at some point.

The warm-ups were normal. She noticed waves of red in the stands. Supporters who had come from all over the country to cheer on them. They were too numbered for just be players’ families. Jessie smiled as she did her usual preparation for the game. Stress was in, but she knew she could manage it. She felt a rush of power. That was something that often happened when she entered on a field. The desire to play her best. To put her body in there to help her team. The will to surpass herself every minute. The chants helped her focus. Gave her some power. As much as she didn’t like being the center of the attention, crowds chanting “Canada” made her want to give her all. Australia was better ranked than Canada, but they still could beat them. They were looking for an equal score, but Jessie knew better than that. They could win. Against Germany, hopefully they wouldn’t lose, Jessie wanted to have an equal score or a win, but she had better expectation today. And she knew she had to take it one game at the time.

The whistle got heard. The Australians started with the ball. It didn’t seem to bother Christine Sinclair. As fast as a lightning, she anticipated a pass, and stole the ball. The whole red team advanced on the field, trying to push and have a chance to shoot. Sincy made the perfect pass. Janine Beckie didn’t miss it. Jessie jumped of happiness. She didn’t even think to look at the time, and she regretted not doing so. They were leading, and Jessie knew they were not even half a minute in the game.

Jessie got scared it all screwed up, about twenty minutes in, when she saw the referee blowing the whistle. She looked at the card. Red. Not good at all. Steph tried calming down Shelina, but Jessie couldn’t really tell which one looked more pissed. “We can still do it!” With a player less, it would be a good challenge, but Jessie was ready to take it. She just had to play her best, have a defensive mind. Try to lead the attacks when they had the chance. As long as they didn’t conceal a goal. John Herdman made an early substitution. Rebecca Quinn made her entrance only minutes after Zadorsky got her card.

They ended up putting one more. It was the final one. Jessie had the ball. She looked up. She could analyse the situation in a second. If she made a pass by the midfield, Christine would be able to run to it before the defenders. She could run to the goal.

Her decision was taken without even a second passing. She made a long pass, strong enough to make it to Sincy. That was the plan. Jessie knew the captain would know where to go. She was experienced. After that penalty shot Canada had missed a couple of minutes ago, they had to get one shot more on net.

The captain did exactly what Jessie had in mind. She went on a breakaway, the Australian goalkeeper left her net hoping to be the first on the ball, but Christine got there first. Jessie trusted her to put it in. She did. 2-0. On a team ranked better than them. With a player less.

They were quite impressed at the result. But they believed in themselves, and that was what mattered the most. It had definitely helped in winning that game. If they had let themselves go down after the red card, they would have lost. It was crazy how coach Herdman had changed that team. Five years earlier, they would have lost the game. And despite having missed a penalty shot, they had managed to get pass that and score very shortly after. If Beckie was a little disappointed about it, they learned shortly after the game that she held a new Olympic record: the fastest goal scored in a game. Something like 19 seconds. It was a little crazy to think about it.

They had a full day before the opening ceremony on Friday, they played their next game Saturday. They were told to stay out of social media if possible, to avoid negative critics, to stay focus on the tournament and other things like that, and it wasn’t hard to do as told for Jessie. She didn’t have any accounts on the mortal world. She defied the rules at some point, though. She went on DemigodProfile. Her sister, Jill, Leila, and many legionnaires had left messages for her, congratulating her on the game. Jessie was happy. She even had a message from Reyna. The praetor herself. It was a little heartwarming.

Friday night came fast, and Jessie smiled when someone thought of doing their own entrance. Entrance was fast said. They filmed themselves walking in a hallway to the room where they had a big screen showing up the opening ceremony. Jessie avoided being filmed. She hated it! And she was a little scared it would send monsters a message, “Hey I’m here, come and get me!” or something this kind. She had been lucky up to now, she hadn’t been attacked at all, but she knew there were tons of monsters down in Brazil. And probably tons she had never heard of.

Jessie couldn’t hide her excitement when Canada made its entrance in Rio. It was nice to be around her teammates, especially that they weren’t part of the group of athletes at the ceremony. The disappointment was gone, even more when a little screen at the top of the images showed their little video. Like they were with the rest of the athletes. They were not left out. And it was heartwarming. The commentator even mentioned they had won their first game. You couldn’t say the team was calm as they had the images of Christine holding the flag, the whole world could see them. No one could tell Jessie they hadn’t seen her team. Unless they didn’t watch the Games. Her family might be disappointed she didn’t appear on the video, but Jessie couldn’t care less. She was watching the ceremony with her teammates, she was at the Olympics, and couldn’t be happier.

 

The next morning, she was focused on one thing: the game against Zimbabwe. She knew they were expected to win this game, and she was focused on winning it. No way they had a draw or something. Zimbabwe was ranked 93rd, after all, while Canada was 10th. They couldn’t lose this one. They didn’t plan to.

It took them seven minutes to score the first. Janine Beckie, once again. From a ball centered by no one else than Christine Sinclair. The girls had an obvious chemistry this tournament. Janine didn’t score one first try, but the keeper had let a rebound. Diana almost doubled their lead. She got the post instead. But they were not going to slow down.

Jessie sent a ball for Diana, and got scared it would be called offside. A Zimbabwean headed it, but she sent it directly to Diana. The keeper went for the ball at the same time that the smaller Canadian, but when she jumped, she hit Diana knee against shoulder. They got a penalty kick, and compared to the first game where it was Beckie who shot, Christine took it. Jessie was happy with it, Sincy was experience in this situation, and she didn’t miss.

Later, they scored another one. Beckie, from Josée Bélanger. Then, then minutes later, Jessie thought Diana had scored, but she was called offside.

Jessie was motivated for the second half, they could put one more, maybe two, but it didn’t go as planned. They had a good possession of the ball, that wasn’t the problem. They got three yellow card, and it started to be a little frustrating. Jessie tried keeping calm. _Breathe slowly, take it easy, you are winning 3-0. There’s nothing to be frustrated about._

There was a moment where Jessie was a little confused. They were on defensive mode as the opponent was attacking. Jessie thought the defenders were quite in control, they were keeping up to the player with the ball, but the Canadian goalkeeper, Dangelo for this game, decided to leave her net completely. Wide open, the Zimbaween didn’t miss. Maybe it was because she was more used to play with Steph Labbé, but she questioned the need to go out of the net. Maybe Dangelo thought the players were closer?

The final score was 3-1. Jessie was happy when the game ended. She was pretty sure coach Herdman wouldn’t be very happy with the second half, and she expected a speech on it. She was totally right about it. Their next opponent was Germany, a team Jessie knew Canada had never won against. If they wanted to prove themselves able to beat them, to end this losing streak, they had to play better than their last game. Otherwise, it was a lost. Germany would take advantage of every Canadian mistake, compared to Zimbabwe.

That night, Jessie, joined by a couple of teammates, opened the TV to look at the competition. The swimmers were qualified for the relay 4x100 m freestyle. Jessie wanted to cheer on them. She knew her camp Jupiter roommate Penny was one of the four swimmers, and was ready to cheer on her, Canadian flag in hand. She was full of Canadian spirit.

She was on the edge of the bed the whole time. She was pretty sure she had tapped her feet on the floor from nervousness the whole time. They got the bronze, and Jessie couldn’t be prouder. She looked in her luggage to discreetly take out her phone, pretending she was looking for a tampon, and went to the bathroom to send a congratulation message to Penny.

 

Jessie was prepared when she stepped on the field against Germany. She had in mind that the losing streak didn’t matter. It was a new game, Canada was better than never before, and they could end this. Penny had left her an encouraging message while answering to her congratulating messages – she had won a silver medal on Sunday – as well as Mal, who promised she would watch the game if she could. It was hard to follow each other’s games and competitions, they were so busy. And Canada never played at the same place than USA, which meant Jessie and Mal couldn’t even see each other. If they played at the same place, it would be because they faced each other in elimination round. Jessie knew if it happened, she would pass on a little diner with her girlfriend. They were not rival yet. But if they became, competition would be the priority.

Melissa Tancredi gave a motivating speech. They could make history and win this game. Be on top of their group. Show what their country was about. Winning. That was all Jessie had in mind.

Diana and Christine didn’t play the game. John had decided to rest them, considering they were sure of going to quarters. Tanc was the captain today.

Germany scored first, on a penalty shot. Jessie hoped they could tie it. They needed to. Tanc was the one doing it so, about fifteen minutes later. The speech mid-game was motivating. If they put one more in the net, they could win. They were tied at the moment. Jessie felt motivated, even if she wasn’t playing the second half. It was Ashley Lawrence’s turn on the field, and Jessie knew she could trust the girls playing.

Canada was given a kick because of a foul made by Germany at the 60th minute mark. It was Quinn who took it. Jessie saw the ball making its way to Tancredi, who centered. Tanc’s reaction was priceless. Quinn, the nearest to the bench, went to Jessie and the rest of the benched players to celebrate. They were winning this game.

And they did win the game. A historic win against Germany. At the Olympic Games, no less. Jessie couldn’t be happier. Jessie didn’t even know if her opponents for the quarterfinal was decided yet. Jessie was focused on winning, no matter who it was.

 

Jessie realised that her roomie, Quinn, was gone to see her family on the Thursday night, and took that opportunity to take out her phone and keep up with friends at Camp Jupiter, studying monster books, engineering, and other things like that she felt could be useful. Any normal teammate would have taken a light book to relax, but Jessie was not a normal mortal. She knew her monster book was not what you could call a light book, but it could change everything if she had to battle. She looked for monsters that lived in warm weather. Those preferring the snow would not be in Brazil, why stop on them this month? At worse, they would be her Christmas read…

Jessie almost lost track of time, so when she heard the door open, she startled and panicked. She needed to hide the book. What if Quinny saw it?

              “What are you reading?”

Jessie smiled. “Some Romain and Greek mythology book. Nothing that will interest you,” she said, hoping Quinn wouldn’t try to look at it. The description was written as: What do the monsters look like, and How to beat them. Quinn wouldn’t understand why it’s written this way, and why it is Jessie’s interest to read it.

To Jessie’s relief, Quinn was not curious at all. Instead, she said,

              “Mom told me Canada got its first gold medal.”

Quinn said that casually with a smile while searching for her pyjama. Jessie immediately questioned on who and what sport. She knew her friend Penny had gotten a couple of days earlier bronze with the relay team, as well as an individual silver. Jessie knew Rosie MacLennan wasn’t competing a medal today. She had had the only gold four years before, in trampoline. She was one of Canada’s hope.

              “Actually, all our medals up to now are from women. Nice, uh? Play like a girl, an insult? Not this year!” Quinn laughed. Jessie couldn’t agree more, from the competitions she had heard of.

              “Quinny! Are you gonna mess up with me like that for long? What sport?”

              “Swimming.”

Jessie immediately thought of Penny. She had seen on the group chat she was in finals. If she had won gold, she was probably still doing the media tour, and hadn’t the time to take discreetly her demigod phone to update her friends from Camp Jupiter. If it was the case, Jessie would be pissed, though, because she had totally forgotten to look at when it was, and would be disappointed she didn’t open her TV. Jessie wondered how many Canadians were qualified for swimming finals. There was a couple of categories. It could never be Penny.

              “A girl with a weird last name. She’s like 16. In swimming.”

Jessie looked at the blond-haired girl in shock.

              “Penny won a _gold_ medal? You’ve got to be kidding me! Are you serious? I should have known, she had had great results! Why did I forgot, I had sworn I would watch! Man, I know her! She lives in the same place than I. We’re actually good friends! Shit! I need to see the race!” Jessie said, very excited for her friend. She was mad at herself, but she didn’t say it loud.

She immediately asked Quinn for her phone. No matter how risky it was, she needed to see the competition. Swimming races didn’t last that long, was it that risky to take a mortal phone to watch highlights? She deeply regretted not having open the TV. She could have read while waiting for the competition that interested her… But no, as a bad friend, she had totally forgotten! Wow!

She took Quinn’s phone in her hand. They saw Penny being in the second part of the swimmers after turning back. But she started passing one, then another, and made her way to tie last minute with an American. Rebecca seemed more impressed than Jessie on how she was able to catch up the others. Jessie knew her tricks. Penny was a daughter of Neptune. She could breathe underwater. According to the commentators, she seemed to hold her breath, so she can focus only on swimming fast. Jessie wasn’t fooled. Penny was totally breathing. She had excelled in imitating other swimmers, but the truth was she didn’t need to get her head out of the water to breathe. And maybe, but Jessie doubted she would have in a mortal competition, she might had cheated a little. But no drug tests could prove that. She might have just asked the water to help her out a little. Jessie had also learned that Penny’s clothes didn’t even go wet unless desired (like here, when swimming in a pool around mortals). Water was power for Penny. Where she felt the best. She felt empowered when she was in a pool. Salt water was even better for her, but most pool were with chlorine. It didn’t mean she couldn’t use her powers when helpful. And winning that gold medal was very motivating. Jessie knew who she’d text when Rebecca went in the shower. She would just skip the part where she watched it from a phone, half an hour later.

 

The next day, it was the quarters. Jessie sent a good luck message to Mal, as a good girlfriend. She was facing Sweden. Canada was facing the team they had won four years ago for a bronze medal after a game France had totally led. Jessie hoped the score would look similar, but with more possession and more scoring chances from Canada. Jessie knew France was favorite to win this game, but she was determined to crush their dreams. Again, for many players. They played Unstoppable by Sia before the game. A couple of players sang to it, but Jessie knew she was better to be very low, she didn’t have Desiree Scott’s voice. Nor Erin’s.

There wasn’t any momentum for Canada in the first half, the teams were equals and both teams played safe, they were cautious. Canada didn’t want to make mistakes, afraid France would capitalise on them. France was playing the same.

The team stepped up in the second half, though. Ten minutes after the break, Beckie sent a ball to Schmidt, and she scored. Jessie just wanted the team to hold on to this lead. They could beat France again. Canada got lucky. Wanting to clear the ball, a Canadian sent it directly on the post. France took the rebound, but shot too high from the net. They were inches from a tie. They couldn’t do this mistake twice.

And the game was over. They had done it. They were on their ways to the semis. Jessie couldn’t be prouder. They had chances on medals. She was curious on who they’d face, but the quarterfinal round was not over yet. They had to wait.

She looked at how the US was doing when she went back in her room. She spotted Quinn watching a video. She had the sound on, and Jessie could definitely tell it was highlights from the game.

              “How US is doing?” she asked, curious.

              “Hope Solo treated Sweden cowards because they won. It went into Shootouts.”

Jessie’s heart stopped. US. Defending gold medal team. Had lost. Mal was out of the tournament. Jessie was very disappointed. She felt bad for her girlfriend. She was about to text her how Canada had won its game to share her joy, and was very thankful she hadn’t. USA was eliminated. Jessie didn’t know what to tell her. She wanted to go text her in the bathroom, but she didn’t find her phone in the pocket of the luggage she kept it in. It was not with her dagger and nectar, like usual. In panic, she didn’t think, and said,

              “Quinny, have you seen my electronic devise?”

She didn’t know how to call it. If Jessie said cellphone, Quinn would ask for the number. It wasn’t an iPod or a MP3 player. Rebecca seemed confused on the name.

              “So, you have a phone or anything that you can have apps on?”

Jessie decided to lie. She didn’t have the choice.

              “Nah, it basically only plays music. It doesn’t match apps you have on your phone.”

              “Why do you have it, then?”

Jessie lied again. “I have this since I was a child.”

The only thing she hoped: Quinn wouldn’t look at it, and wouldn’t find out it was tactical. Jessie wouldn’t be able to explain how she had as a child a tactical thing – a technology that she started seeing when she was between ten and twelve – and she regretted having talked about it to Quinn. Hopefully, she wouldn’t question what age Jessie considered as being a child.

To Jessie’s nightmare, her roommate found it first. In the wrong pocket. Thanks god, she had not found the secret one, but Jessie was so scared her friend would be curious and try to open it. _Please, give me this right now_ , Jessie secretly prayed.

              “Don’t look at this, and give it to me,” Jessie said, a serious face on, hand open for Quinny to put the phone in it.

Jessie sighed as she went to the bathroom with her cellphone. She was scared Rebecca asked more questions, but sending a message to Mal was important. And she needed to think about it before touching the button send. She didn’t want to hurt her girlfriend even more than she already was.

She typed. Erase half the message. Typed again. At the end, it looked like:

              JF: Hey. I love you. If you want to talk, I’ll keep my phone in my pockets. I’m here from the distance if you want to talk. If you don’t reply and want some time alone, I understand too. But just know I love you, ok?

She didn’t wait for an answer, she knew Mal was probably still in the locker room with the team. She returned to the room, and put the phone back in her luggage. It was not necessary to hide it in the secret pouch anymore, since her friend knew about it. Quinn could see the phone and question it, but if she saw nectar, ambrosia and the dagger – who would be hidden by the mist and turned into something else – Jessie was in trouble.

Thank the gods, she didn’t have more questions. Jessie took her phone a couple of times in the evening to look for messages. Mal had not answered. Jessie tried not thinking about it. She needed time to accept the defeat. That was probably just it.

 

The day before the semi-final, the team was travelling to Belo Horizonte. Jessie noticed all the players on their phone while they headed to the airport, and felt a little nervous. She couldn’t get over the fact she could be attacked because of them. She didn’t know why, most of the time, she didn’t really care, and nothing happened, but today she had a bad feeling. It was already bad enough that Quinny found her weird with her Electronic Devise with no name that she kept secret. She looked at Quinn on the seat next to her, looking at posts on Instagram, and it made her go crazy. But she couldn’t tell her friend that. Despite Quinny asking over and over what was up with her. The tall blond girl was suspecting something, she was asking questions, she knew Jessie was hiding things from her. But Jessie had sworn to secrecy the first time she had left Jupiter camp for soccer. _Don’t take your cellphone with mortals around, don’t bring up demigod things._ It usually wasn’t that hard to hide, but this time around, she struggled. Rebecca had noticed she owned an electronic devise, and wanted to add her on Facebook, something she didn’t have any account on. The girls wanted to make her twitter and Instagram for the next camp they’d go, and it was not even a question for Jessie. She wished she could follow them on social medias, really, but she couldn’t. And now, Rebecca and she had fought a little over all of this, and Jessie couldn’t explain her “weird behavior”. So, she just put some headphones on, and pushed the bottom play. Looked at the window. She couldn’t think of all those girls using some internet data they somehow had.

She was in her thoughts when she saw something in the distance. A big form, looking as tall as skyscrapers, but it was moving. Jessie immediately paused her music, like the silence would help her think, and frowned. A monster she couldn’t identify. It was coming by the highway, stepping on cars and crashing them into walls. Jessie estimated its feet to be the size of a minivan, which tells about how tall it was. She was pale. She couldn’t face a monster just now. They had a plane to catch. They couldn’t have injured players, or at least, not the whole team. Ann-Sophie or her, ok, they had eighteen other girls on the roster. But they were stuck in a bus, everyone. If they crashed, it wouldn’t be good for the upcoming semi-final that Jessie already saw like a challenge.

She looked up, thinking of her bag she had brought with her. It was time to take out the weapons. She didn’t have much choice. Her sword and ambrosia were her only hope if they needed to battle that thing. She made a sign to Rebecca that she needed to get out. The latest questioned her from a look, like she was worried. Worried about what? Quinny could not know they were about to be attacked! She thought Jessie was about to puke?

She reached to the backpack. Put it on her shoulders as she stepped forward the bus. Ann-Sophie was Rhian’s new seatmate. No one ever wanted to sit with Rhian “what’s wrong with sitting in the front” Wilkinson. Until Ann-Sophie Flowers came in. That poor girl, she was motion sick. To Jessie’s knowledge, there was no way of transportation she could actually feel good on. Planes, cars, the Quebecer had also mention she hated boats, everything made her nauseous. Sitting in the front of the bus was not an option to the youngest player on the roster. It was a must.

As she approached Ann-Sophie, she noticed the girl was as nervous as she was. She had seen the monster too. Jessie sat on the other side of the aisle, next to John.

              “What do we do about _you know what_?” Jessie asked, trying not to let her panic show. Buddy immediately asked what was wrong. Marie-Ève Nault was always the calm one, the one you went to when you didn’t really know how to react. The glue to the team. But this time, nothing Buddy could do to help out. The alternate couldn’t see the monster, wouldn’t be able to help them fight. But she noticed the febrility Jessie felt, and Jessie cursed silently.

Ann-Sophie asked the coach if they could stop. To what John was clueless. They were limit for their flight, they were late on schedule. They couldn’t stop on a highway either. Jessie tried arguing, they’d catch the next flight at worse, but they needed to get out. She could see about a kilometer up front cars flying from the monster kicking them. She pointed out the massive car collision the monster was causing. Vehicles started piling up. No way they passed anyways.

Jessie and Ann-Sophie hoped they’d arrive to the pile-up before the monster caught them. They needed to get out of the bus, and there was only one exit. Next to the driver. Jessie went to talk to him, hoping on being persuasive enough to having him pull over now. Jessie wanted to avoid a car crash. She needed to draw the monster’s attention away from the bus, away from her teammates. She had her sword out, ready to fight. But the monster walked too fast. Took a couple of cars at its feet. Threw them at the Canadian bus as Jessie went back to Ann-Sophie.

              “We have to get out! We need to stop the…” Jessie got the time to say before the bus suddenly changed lane. She crashed into John, and turned her head to see a flying car crashing on where they where a few seconds before. But the driver was losing control of the bus. They crashed into the wall at their left.

When Ann-Sophie noticed there was a window broken, she took out her weapon and jumped out. Jessie followed despite coach Herdman screaming at them. She could hear his British accent between noises from cars crashing. Jessie had only the time to hear Rhian and Steph were doing ok before hitting the asphalt. They ran to the monster. Jessie didn’t want to admit, but she was scared. Near shitting her pants. She hadn’t fought a real monster for a couple of months. Most of her monster knowledge was theory. She prayed to be athletic enough to avoid the attacks. She didn’t have any shield to protect herself. All she had was her gladius, and a dagger in her bag, and plenty of ambrosia.

She heard a voice behind her. Someone trying to distract the monster. Jessie turned her head so fast it was surprising she didn’t break her neck. Or had a pinched nerve. She recognized too well the blond girl standing there. Straight long hair. Low deep voice. A head taller than her. The same girl she had argued with that morning. Rebecca Quinn. What was she doing there? Why? Was she actually seeing the monster?

              “Why the fuck is there a monster attacking us? Can I do something?”

Ann-Sophie screamed at her to go away. She was no help if she stayed there with nothing to defend herself. They’d just have to protect her. While Ann-Sophie charged the giant with a very Greek style, Jessie hid behind a car to take out the bag from her back. She took the dagger, took it out of its case, and threw it to Quinn. She’d probably have to take it from the ground, but Jessie couldn’t leave Ann‑Sophie for too long. It was about to step on her.

The three footballers fought against it for near half an hour. You could tell Ann-Sophie and Jessie hadn’t had the same training at all, Greek and Romains had totally different style, and it made Jessie struggle with anticipating Ann-Sophie’s moves. Quinn, she was doing what she could. She was defending herself pretty good, you wouldn’t tell it was her first battle by looking at her attacking, but she asked way too many questions for Jessie to assume she knew in what world she was living in.

Jessie was the one making the final hit, making it explode, mostly on Quinny. The latest looked disgusted by it. She looked more scared than both Ann-Sophie and Jessie reunited. It was a first to her, Jessie could read it in her face. But she had tried her best helping them. Had not run away during tough moments. She was very good at defending herself and, at some point, led the attack.

              “Wow, I’m impressed, Quinny. Where does your fighting skills come from?”

Rebecca couldn’t answer the question. “Explain me what this was. Now I get why you always check out everything twice eh!”

Jessie knew she was due for explanations, but they needed to check on the team first. Allysha Chapman’s shoulder was worse than it already was. Not a lost though, she was already out of play for the rest of the tournament. A couple of players complained about pain. Jessie gave Ann-Sophie some ambrosia. Watched Rebecca’s confused face with an amused look. She thought it was a brownie. She hesitated before giving Rebecca any. What if she was just a mortal who saw through the mist? She had heard it existed. She didn’t want to kill her teammate! Eating a piece of it would have her burn from the inside. Could she try a single bite, or it wasn’t safe?

She decided to give it a try. Gave a piece the size of half a m&m.

              “How does it feel?” Ann-Sophie immediately asked, hoping she wouldn’t say it hurt.

              “Recomforting. Taste… weird. Like a chicken soup. I feel like I’ve taken five painkillers but without the buzz it would give. But why does a brownie do that? Did you just drugged me with a substance I never heard of?”

Jessie smiled and found weird the reaction Quinn had. She had given a tiny piece, she already felt better? If she gave more, would she be buzzed or have a pretty bad fever? The taste was totally normal, though. It tasted the food you found the most recomforting. She decided to give the rest of the piece to her roommate. The three girls were already starting to feel better. They wouldn’t go fight another monster yet unless absolutely necessary, but they were happy their game was only the next day. Their injuries were a bit more tolerable. Jessie was afraid it wouldn’t be the case for their teammates. Ambrosia was meant to heal fast, but their teammates couldn’t consume it. Could they have enough “healthy” teammates to play against Germany?

They all ended up at the hospital for a check-up. Jessie could tell she, Quinny and Ann-Sophie were the most healthy for now. They had more scars and open injuries, but Jessie was afraid of concussion from a couple of teammates, because of the crash. The most injured was Allysha. Her shoulder already injured had completely popped out. Jessie was a compassionate with her, but she was already out of the tournament. She was more worried about some others. At least, about half the team swore they were ok. For now. What worried the most John Herdman was the after. After adrenaline left your body, and you start feeling the pain even more. Jessie knew about that so well.

They were staying in town. The staff had reserved a new flight, because they had obviously missed the first one, and it was only the next morning. Jessie knew the next day would be hard. Pain would be present, they would go straight from the airport to the stadium. That was not the best. But they didn’t have much choice. John asked his players if they were ok to play, but no one wanted to give up. It would give them the fourth place. That was not what they wanted. They had to go home with a medal. Jessie felt the gold slipping out of hands, but she still had hopes.

She couldn’t say she slept well that night. She felt everything was her fault, and Ann-Sophie felt the same. “If I had known we would be attacked, I would have stayed home,” the reservist said over and over. She had had the permission to sleep in Jessie and Quinn’s room. They had explanations to give to Rebecca. Jessie didn’t go too much in details. Her parents had to do most of the explaining: who was the god, at what generation it was, Romain of Greek, etc. Jessie couldn’t guess where Quinn would head up after the Olympics, but both she and Ann-Sophie told her about the camps. Quinn asked a lot of questions about them, but Jessie knew they needed to rest.

              “That’s enough, your parents will answer a couple of them, now, in bed girls!”

Jessie couldn’t help but stressing out about the game against Germany the next day. They had had a difficult game against them in the first round, had an historic win, she knew it would be harder to win twice, especially injured. She wouldn’t say it loud, though. She needed to show she was strong.

 

It was John who woke them up. Jessie wondered if she had forgotten to set up the alarm – it was her job – or if the Ambrosia had made them pass out. He wanted to check on the team.

              “The team looks to be better than expected. Hopefully, you are less injured than what I thought and you’re not all lying because you want to play.”

Jessie smiled. She felt a little bit better to know most of the team was ok. They at least had a decent starting eleven. They had two or three players who could possibly sub in. And Ann-Sophie was totally healthy if needed, but John didn’t seem to listen when she told him. Since she went fighting, the English man had difficulty understanding that point. He was hesitating on making Rebecca play at the back, even considering Chappy out.

The game didn’t go like Canada would have wanted. They were given a penalty early in the game, and the Germans took advantage of it. They were lucky in the first half, it could have been quite worse.

The beginning of the second half, it seemed Canada looked a little bit more confident. They could play through their injuries. Beckie shot just wide. But five minutes later, Germany had sealed the deal with a second goal.

They still gave everything they had. Steph made some key safes like the accident never happened. More the game passed, more Jessie was disappointed and felt the hurry to score. Their goal was getting the gold medal, and now they had to focus on having the bronze. Jessie didn’t take it well. She was a daughter of Victoria. She needed to win this game. No matter what. It was her fatal flaw and she knew it. She never gave up, even when she needed to, when it was about reaching her dreams. It was nice, it pushed her to become a better athlete and it got her on Team Canada, and in Rio, but it could be dangerous. She did the same when battling. She never gave up, even if she was better to retreat. She knew it could get her killed someday.

Jessie was brutally honest in interview. Most girls tried their best being polite, but Jessie let a, “This really sucks.” She knew the staff wouldn’t like that, but she went with her heart, and everyone knew how true it was. She couldn’t say it didn’t, it would be lies!

Despite being quite mad they had lost, she decided to talk. The girls didn’t know how much the previous day was important in their lives. How this game mattered. They still had played like nothing happened, proved they had their place in top 4. They needed to play with the same desire for the next game.

“Girls. I know we lost, and I’ve said it sucked that we did. But I meant something else too by that. We were in a car crash yesterday, and we still fought our bodies and souls to be here. We got in this city this morning. The Germans were in perfect shape, had a good night of sleep, or most likely did compared to us. They don’t have back pain from a shock with a wall. They didn’t almost die yesterday. It sucks we got into an accident, but we were still here tonight. And we might not get the hoped medal, but we still have a chance to medal still. Let’s hang on to it. We cannot have gone through all of this to lose the bronze. Let’s show Brazil what we’re made of. I’m not afraid of Marta’s team. I fought for all your lives yesterday, Brazilian fans are not scaring me. We can win this medal, in their home country. I believe in our team. I believe in you.”

Captain Sinclair said she wouldn’t have given a better speech, and Jessie felt proud. She was still crying from that defeat, but she was not defeated yet. Jessie could tell of herself she was a natural leader by example. Jessie thought she looked a lot like her current leader: show by example instead of talking all the time. Sinclair was not the biggest vocal off the field, but when she was on, she was there when the team needed. Jessie wanted to do the same. She felt the team needed some encouragement today, though. She surprised herself talking. But it came from the heart. As the soldier she was trained to be. That was what mattered.

When Jessie left the locker room after the media tour, she had one thing in her mind. Beat that Brazil team. And when Jessie Fleming has something in mind, there was nothing else she thought about.

Mal sent her a message that night.

              MP: I know it’s not the result you wanted, but you still have a medal to hope and look out for. Go get the bronze. But whatever happens, I’m proud of you like you are proud of me.

Jessie smiled, tears in her eyes. Mal sent another text that looked copy-pasted from what she had sent her right after the quarters when USA lost. And it was heartwarming to receive that.

 

Jessie knew she got the time to see her family the day before the final game, and it felt good. She needed it. When she saw her parents, she immediately went to hug them. And then she saw Tristan. She felt it was so long since the last time she had seen him, so she ran in his arms and hugged him the strongest she could. She was worse than a child at daycare that doesn’t want his mommy to leave him behind to go to work. But she missed her big brother so much.

It took her a minute to realise that there was a blond-haired girl behind him. Jessie was surprised. She didn’t know her sister would be able to leave to see her play. Jessie was happy to know that Reyna and Jason were good people, and let her travel to Brazil. Jessie wondered how long Elysse knew she would go. She had never mentioned asking about it. But maybe she wanted to surprise Jessie? If it was the case, it was a success.

They didn’t bring up the semi-final. Her parents only told her how proud they were, a feeling Tristan and Elysse seemed to share too. Elysse then innocently asked if she had seen the poster she had made her. Jessie made a little smile. She didn’t know which section they were, and when she played, she didn’t really had had the time to look at posters people made her, so finding her sister’s… She felt disappointed as she replied, but she knew her sister would understand. The youngest girl took it out of the bag she had with her – Jessie knew it probably contained a dagger and other armful things to monsters – and proudly showed the drawings and pictures. How could she have a sister that cute and caring?

Jessie was feeling proud of herself, happy to be with her family, she needed them around her. It felt so good to be with them, with all the camps she had attended that year, even her sister, she didn’t see her much. The last time she had seen Tristan and her parents, it was at Christmas. It was crazy to think that she had grown up quite close to her brother, and now, they’d only talk on the phone. To Jessie’s knowledge, he still didn’t know his sisters were demigods. Jessie thought it was impressive they were able to hide it from him for two years. He never had asked question on why the two girls were not living at home.

When Tristan left for the bathroom, and it seemed to be for a number two, her parents questioned her on the accident. They wanted to know how she really was.

              “I swear I’m fine. If there’s something, I’m drugged on ambrosia, but I’m fine. I’m probably doing better than any of my teammates, really. Ann-Sophie helped me out to fight it, and Quinny too. She is probably one of ours, she saw the monster, tasted ambrosia and it didn’t kill her. I’m pretty sure she is questioning her parents at the moment.

Her mother looked at her father with a little accusing tone.

              “If you hadn’t cheat on me with that goddess, none of our daughters would have been injured in this country.”

Jessie immediately looked at Elysse, frowning. The child looked a little uneased. She played with the sleeve of her top. Jessie was confused. With the weather out, her sister was wearing long sleeve? Were her parents that afraid of Zika?

Elysse pulled up on of the sleeve, and it revealed quite bad burn marks. That was why Elysse was wearing long sleeves? Didn’t the clothes hurt her?

              “I was attacked this morning. We waited he left before talking about us being demigods, but Tristan knows. We told him a while ago, actually. But we don’t like talking about it in front of him, dad didn’t want to have him knowing about how dangerous it can be. He is also fucking pissed at dad,” Elysse said, shrugging. “Do you…”

              “Elysse! Don’t say that F word! Where did you learn to say that? We won’t allow this language,” their dad said with a very dry tone. Jessie didn’t talk, she knew Elysse heard that kind of language all the time at camp. She had heard Elysse swear in the past, and had tried letting her know it was not ok, but Jessie was not always the best example for that either…

The pre-teen apologised, and Jessie could see she was only pretending she felt bad. Little devil!

              “Jess, do you have a lot of ambrosia? I forgot I could be attacked here, and I barely took enough to heal my burns.”

Jessie nervously laughed. Her sister was definitely still a child. Someone should have reminded her to bring medicine! She quickly looked at her bags, and unzipped a secret pouch. She hid her phone and ambrosia in there at all times. She had more than enough medicine even considering she had given a few doses to Rebecca. She had a good amount to finish her trip, even if she restocked Elysse and Rebecca. She would probably even have doses left once back in Jupiter Camp. She had taken with her the whole pharmacy.

She took what would be enough considering Elysse was still a child. Explained in details the maximum doses even if Elysse probably knew all of this already, told them to watch out for fever – the first sign you consumed too much – and her father noted all of it on his demigod phone. She was about to give it to her little sister, but her mother put her hand in front of Jessie before Elysse had the time to pick one dose.

              “That’s medicine. You give me that, we will give you them,” her mother said to the youngest Fleming as Tristan came back from the bathroom, unsure what was happening in front of his eyes.

Jessie was a little shocked. It had been near two years since Elysse was at Jupiter Camp. Did her mother think Jessie or any other legionnaire was giving the child medicine every time she needed it? The first times, yes, but Elysse knew her limits now! She knew how to handle nectar and ambrosia. Jessie trusted her with that for more than a year now. Did her parents think she was still the nine-year-old child that she was when she left home? She was not living with them, but she had grown up so much lately. Even Jessie noticed a difference in the girl’s acts. And it had only been a couple of months!

The youngest Fleming had started to change. She had grown up physically and mentally. Jessie could see she was starting to have a little breast showing up. She would have to buy her sister some small bras soon enough. Or have her sister wearing at least a tank top under her t-shirts, otherwise her nipples would show up. Jessie would probably also have to bring up periods soon, before the child wakes up in the morning with a bad surprise, and a panic look, or even worse, had it in the middle of the day with everyone noticing but her, and everyone would not say anything. Jessie recalled that time one of Elysse’s friends, Cassie, got her first period in the middle of a night Jessie had stained her pants because she got hers earlier than planned, something that hadn’t happen to her in years, and she had been the one having to show the kid what to do. Explaining to Cassie had not been easy, she was only ten back then, and Jessie wished the talk with her sister would go better. It was so embarrassing!

You could definitely say Elysse was a preteen, and Jessie wasn’t so sure about if she liked it or not. She was starting to have a little bit more of an attitude. When the child was with her friends, there was no way Jessie could show up uninvited, or she’d be pointed the door. Jessie wished Elysse could stay innocent a little longer. It showed she was around teens and young adults all the time, she was growing up way too fast. And for some reasons, her parents were blind to all of this, thinking she was still acting like when she was nine.

 _Your little hands wrapped around my finger_  
And it's so quiet in the world tonight  
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming  
So I tuck you in and turn on your favorite nightlight

 _To you, everything's funny_  
You got nothing to regret  
I'd give all I have honey  
If you could stay like that

 _Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up_  
Just stay this little  
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up  
It could stay this simple  
I won't let nobody hurt you  
Won't let no one break your heart  
No one will desert you  
Just try to never grow up  
Never grow up

_[…]_

_Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room_  
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home  
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said  
And all your ~~little~~ (big) brother's favorite songs  
I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone

 _So here I am in my new apartment_  
In a big city, they just dropped me off  
It's so much colder than I thought it would be  
So I tuck myself in and turn my nightlight on

_[…]_

_I won't let nobody hurt you_  
Won't let no one break your heart  
And even though you want to  
Please try to never grow up  
Don't you ever grow up  
Just never grow up (1)

Josée Bélanger came in the room Jessie was in to remind her about the team meeting Jessie had totally forgotten about, too busy chatting with family. She hugged them all, the Quebecer couldn’t really expect her to just wave goodbye, before running to the room where the meeting was held.

 

They returned to Sao Paulo for the final game. If these fans had cheered on Canada more than any other countries, this time, Jessie knew it would be totally different.

The crowd was mostly yellow. A few red jerseys here and there – mostly families – but it didn’t faze Jessie. She knew how Brazil would be determined to win the bronze medal, she heard people screaming, “Marta, Marta,” and it gave an extra motivation for Jessie to win.

Canada was given a penalty kick the captain Sinclair took. She hit the post and the ball bounced, but no one was able to aim it back to the net.

Near the 25th minute, Lawrence ran on the left side of the field towards the goal. She passed to Deanne Rose, who was perfectly placed. Jessie was not far, and was one Deanne celebrated the goal with. Jessie was trilled. She needed to be in the team that opens the scoring.

At the half, Jessie was more motivated than ever. About five minutes into the second half, Jessie dribbled through some braxilians before seeing Rose who was in front of her. She sent the ball at a distance she knew she could run, behind the defense line. After making sure she wasn’t offsides, the youngest player ran to it. No angle anymore. But Christine was in the box too, and Rose saw it as Jessie noticed. It was not a perfect pass you could send directly to the net, but she made it still. 2-0. Jessie jumped into some teammates’ arms, and John’s reaction made her laugh.

Deanne Rose almost made it 3-0, but she got the post, stuck in sandwich between two yellow jerseys.

With about ten minutes remaining, Rafaelle scored. Canada started to be too comfortable, and concealed a goal. Jessie was willing to give her everything, no way the game ended up in Shootouts. They needed to keep their one-goal lead. They couldn’t play overconfident anymore. They needed to play with caution. There was not place for mistake anymore.

When the final whistle was blown, Jessie ran into the arms of teammates, tears in her eyes. They had made it. She was a medallist. They had won. Jessie felt proud. Powerful. Unstoppable. Happy. It was the first time she cried because she was happy. She couldn’t put words on what she was feeling.

They couldn’t smile more than when they lined up for the medal ceremony. Jessie was very excited. It felt real now, she was a bronze medalist. She stood next to Gabrielle Carle and Sabrina Dangelo. They presented who would give them the medals. Jessie assumed it was people on the Olympic committee, because she had never heard their names. The person presenting the medals to Canada was a woman. Jessie didn’t mind that. The woman was quite young looking. Like, she could be the age of Christine, maybe. She had expected someone older, but she guessed it was probably a former athlete. Jessie knew a couple of them made their way to the Olympic committee sometimes.

She saw Rebecca making a weird face as the woman seemed to have said something. “Don’t tell me they chose people who make sexist comments or inappropriate things?” Jessie thought. She had no clue how wrong she was. She couldn’t help but feel the excitement as the woman passed a medal around Christine’s neck. Then Sophie’s. She was coming. Jessie almost jumped like a kid that doesn’t want to wait at Christmas to open presents. Or at least, that’s how she felt on the inside. She hoped it didn’t show too much. She bit her lips trying to contain herself.

The woman was tall. About the same size as Quinn. A very beautiful woman looking to be about the age of the oldest players of the team. Jessie felt weird about it. She seemed powerful. Wait, was she even thinking that of a woman she never met? Why powerful was the thing that came to her mind?

She noticed there was a medal that didn’t feel the same in the plate as Gabrielle shook the woman’s hand. Jessie knew bronze medals were never totally pure bronze. But one of them seemed to. It was even Celestial bronze coloured. Ann-Sophie had talked about her friend Alina having a medal-weapon. Could it… be?

The woman took the exact medal Jessie had spotted. The woman stopped her movement. Looked at Jessie.

              “I am proud of you. But I know you can make it further than this. You can win better than this,” the woman said. Jessie questioned why the woman would be proud, but she felt like it was probably a goddess. She could feel the power the woman had. If Jessie felt this way, there must be a reason.

Then, the woman suddenly shook her head and put the medal back to its place. Took another one that she passed around Jessie’s neck. Jessie had the impression that, from near, she felt familiar, but she couldn’t say who it was. She was a little disappointed the woman put the celestial bronze medal back there. Probably she’ll give it to Ann-Sophie? But what about her? She was a demigod too!

              “You’ll be golden one day, I know it. I don’t expect less from you, Jessica. Continue playing like you did, daughter. I’ll change this medal into a weapon in eight years if you haven’t gotten gold, but know that I will be disappointed if I need to do it. I know they don’t like bronze weapons in your camp.”

Jessie felt so bad she didn’t recognize Victoria. It was her mother, for gods’ sake! What a bad daughter she was, not recognizing the woman that gave birth to her.

              “Thank you, mother.” Jessie said loud enough for Victoria to hear, but low enough that Sabrina and Gaby didn’t hear. She took the medal in her hands, a big smile on her face still. She would have like a weapon, but she knew she’d have one. One day. In less than eight years, she was very determined.

No one seemed to notice the woman had stopped to talk to Jessie. The cameraman looked almost frozen for a minute. Jessie wasn’t surprised. Gods were using mist all the time to hide things to mortals. It was something Jessie wished she could learn to control. Either Victoria stopped the time, or she slowed it down. Or had another god do it for her. Jessie rather not ask the question.

She looked at her teammates’ reactions as they received the medals. Ann-Sophie in particular. But she was the last one to receive it. She was wearing number 24. In memory of her dad. His birth date or the day he passed away, Jessie didn’t recall. And it was way too personal to ask the Quebecer about it. The blond teen had a big smile next to Marie-Ève. She probably never thought she’d make it to the Olympics. She had been the teammate around to help out, be there when they needed a friend to talk to. But she had watched every game from the stands. With Gabby and Buddy. And she had a magical weapon for the patience of not being able to play.

They took plenty of pictures. With mortal phones. With photographers. Jessie wasn’t very at ease, but she played the game. She needed to. She didn’t have the choice anyway. They needed team pictures, and she wanted pics with her good friends on the team. She was just a little tense when someone she hadn’t seen before – a photographer, media, and others – came to congratulate the team, or to snap a couple of pictures of the athletes.

 

They travelled to Rio the next day. The team wanted to be at the closing ceremony. It was important for Jessie, she was so disappointed she had missed the opening, no way she missed the closing as well. They didn’t have any good reason to miss it, this time.

Mal knocked at the door of her room to surprise her, about twenty minutes after Jessie’s arrival in Rio. It was Rebecca who opened. Jessie was grateful it wasn’t Janine. Because Quinny knew about them being in couple, not Janine. And Janine and Mal both came from Highland Ranch, Colorado. The chances they knew each other were quite high. It would be awkward for Jessie if she found out.

              “Hey. I figured you probably wanted to see me.”

Jessie smiled. Hugged her girlfriend. Rebecca asked if they wanted some privacy. Jessie hesitated. She had time, she didn’t compete anymore, there wasn’t tons of team meetings and she didn’t have interviews before at least two hours. But at the same time, it was kind of mean to ask Quinny to leave.

Mal decided for her. “If you don’t mind, yeah.”

              “Perfect. I’ll make sure Janine doesn’t enter for the next hour. Have fun girls.”

With the face she made, Rebecca was totally assuming they wanted to have privacy for sex, Jessie could read her mind. Ok, that was kind of her plan when Quinny proposed to let them alone. She just hoped Janine wouldn’t walk on them naked. That would be humiliating. But they were at the Olympics, their competition was over. Isn’t it what athletes do, to relieve their stress or celebrate their results, anyway? Or at least, with all those condoms available all over the Olympic village, athletes had that reputation. Jessie was just happy she had an actual girlfriend and was not doing whoever athlete she spotted in the hallways.

They started by talking talked for about half an hour. Mal seemed happy about Jessie having the bronze. And for once, Jessie felt she was very honest. Jessie knew Mal was not over yet of the quarterfinal lost, and she wanted to make her girlfriend smile. She tried avoiding the topic, just so it wouldn’t hurt more than it already did. She just told Mal she was proud of her. Mal was pretty much the youngest on her team, she had made her way to have a place in the last year or so, and Jessie couldn’t be happier for her. Ok, she would have like having a game against her or being in the Gold final with her, but what is done is done, and they both knew they couldn’t change the story.

Mal decided she had enough talking. She took off Jessie’s t-shirt. Started kissing her. Jessie understood the message in a matter of seconds. She felt like it too, to be honest, she didn’t know what else to say.

It was the first time Jessie didn’t have to worry about being disrupted, or being in trouble because she is alone with Mal. And it felt good. It was the first time in forever she didn’t feel the need to be on alert mode. And she was going to take advantage of that. She wanted to make Mal feel something she never felt before. Jessie was ready to go further than ever.

An hour later, Jessie had her head on Mal’s stomach, both still naked, when Jessie heard a knock. It was probably Janine, or Rebecca. Jessie was a little disappointed, she was feeling great, right there, with Mal playing with her hair, relaxing.

They both took their clothes and dressed the fastest they could. Jessie then went to the door. If it was one of her roommates, she was so scared of walking on people having sex that she waited instead of just using the key. Jessie opened. It was none of her teammates. Instead, it was the coach. Jessie felt a little awkward. Not because of John Herdman, but because of Mal in her room. If he entered in, it would be weird, not to say the least.

              “Police is investigating in the accident, and would like to ask you questions, especially on the why you left the bus.”

Jessie paled. What was she supposed to say? She couldn’t just tell the truth, no one would believe her! Were Quinn and Flowers interviewed too? What did they say? She was scared. She didn’t want her team to be in trouble. What if police decided the accident was the team’s fault, and they weren’t able to leave the country? On top of that, she only spoke English, and a very few Latin, she was scared of having trouble answering the questions.

She asked John if she could have a minute. She needed to talk to her demigod friends, it was an emergency case here. And tell Mal about her leaving. She didn’t deserve not knowing what was going on.

Her teammates confirmed they weren’t interviewed. So it was to Jessie to think about something. She had to think fast, the policeman was waiting for her in the entrance hall, with a translator.

              “There was multiple crashes on August 15. Your bus was implied. Why didn’t you stop before?”

              “I was not driving, I even pointed out to the driver, but for some reasons, it was too late, and we crashed too. But I mean, we were just passengers in the bus, how can it be the team’s fault?”

              “You and two of your teammates left the bus. Why?”

              “I don’t remember very well, memories of that day are quite blurry. I guess you can call it a stupid decision, we could have been injured by another car trying to brake, or the cars piling up. I don’t even know why we did. I guess I was scared of the bus exploding?”

The police officer seemed happy with her answers. Jessie was sweating. Why being interviewed now? Why did it matter? Did the driver say it was their fault?

Jessie was thanked, so the player decided to return to her room. John was following her, he was supposed to get Ann-Sophie now. Jessie wondered if Mal was still in her room. They were in the Canadian house, if the coach saw her, he would ask questions for sure.

              “Is that Mallory Pugh I am seeing now, trying to escape discreetly your room with failure?”

Jessie paled and stopped moving, panicking. John looked like he was trying not to laugh at Jessie’s reaction.

              “I had supposed that with your young age, you wouldn’t be one of the players to have sex during the Olympics. Was I mistaken?”

Jessie bit her lips to try to suppress her nervousness, but with no success. “Well… Mal… uh… we’re actually training at the same place and we… uh… was I supposed to tell you we were dating? Almost no one on the team knows…”

She wanted to tell him they had just talked, to get her out of trouble, but at the same time, she wasn’t sure lying to her coach was a good idea. So she didn’t say anything, and just went in direction of Ann-Sophie to tell her John was waiting for her (and discreetly telling her what to say, so they don’t tell opposite theories to the officer). Quinn was in her room when she returned. She closed the door and sat on the floor, her back on the door.

              “Oh my god, this is the most embarrassing day of my life. Mal is not mad at me for leaving I hope?”

              “Nah, she was just hoping on escaping without being seen. What happened? Are we in trouble?”

              “I don’t think so, I made sure police knew we weren’t driving and were just trying to get to the airport in time. That’s not it. John learned the hard way about me and Mal. And when he asked if it was me, you or Janine that had invited her, I totally gave it out. It was sooo embarrassing, and now Mal will kill me!”

              “Don’t tell her the coach knows, then! What can he do anyway? Do you really think he will call her head coach and say, ‘our players are dating, can you watch Mal next time?’ Nah, we’re grown ups, and that’s not the first time that people date rivals. I’m pretty sure Tanc is in the Swedes house right now!”

Jessie tried not thinking about it and decided to go and watch the last competitions still going on for Canada. “Are you coming, or I text Mal to join me there?”

Quinn accepted to go, but the American still went with them. They had plenty of fun cheering on Canada (and USA). Jessie had texted Penny to know if she was available, hoping to hear on her performances, but she was in Canada.

              PO: I decided to escape to the media. I’m going with friends to Canada Wonderland tomorrow. I’ll might be back for the ceremony, I overheard I could be nominated for flag bearer.

              JF: Enjoy you little trip, then. Is it voted by athletes? Cause if it is, you have my vote! ;)

 

When it was time to announce the flag bearer, Jessie was glued to her TV. She hadn’t text Penny, knowing that is she replied she was back in Rio, it was because she was. And Jessie wanted to be surprised. Penny was probably not even able to tell her where she was. And Jessie was scared of asking her if she had taken a flight anyways. It could hurt her, if she was not the One.

John had decided to have a group meeting, and Jessie grumbled a little. “But the flag bearer announcement…”

              “That’s why there is a team meeting. We will all know at the same time.”

Jessie started wondering if there was a teammate nominated. Christine was quite silent, but she had been the one exactly four year ago, she couldn’t be chosen again, right?

              “I already know who it is. I had to give out a few tips, you know. But my mouth is shut until the press conference.”

The whole team looked at the captain with a weird look. They were all dying to know, now that everyone was there and they knew why they were reunited.

They watched the press conference, and Jessie couldn’t help but screaming when she heard, “Penny Oleksiak.” She saw her good friend coming up and sitting where indicated, for a little speech. She was very excited for her friend, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Jessie was not jealous, but she didn’t like attention at all. Penny looked so tall next to some people around her, it was ridiculous. She also had large shoulders, and she looked imposing. And very shy. Jessie knew Penny well enough, she was not very at ease with all the attention she was having at her first Olympics. She was supposed to come in there to have fun and do her best, now she was on every Canadian’s mouth.

That night, she called Mal and told her the news. She assumed she wouldn’t know, since Jessie had no clue who was the American leading the country at the ceremony. Mal was a bit excited too, and the group conversation between her Jupiter friends went crazy. Jessie wondered how much time it took for the entire camp to know. Ten minutes? If Lisa was as vocal as usual, probably less…

 

The ceremony finally came, and Jessie was happy when she heard they would have a simple long-sleeved Canada vest that Jessie feared to be quite hot, and that they were only required to wear black pants. She could recall worse during previous ceremonies. The whole team was ready in no time, they couldn’t miss the ceremony after missing the opening one.  

They walked in groups, but most of the team stayed together. Jessie could see Steph talking to a cyclist further almost the whole time. It felt a little weird to Jessie, and she couldn’t help herself looking at Marie-Ève just next to her. If Steph wasn’t flirting with Georgia, she didn’t know what she was doing, and she really hoped Buddy didn’t notice. They were still together in February, for gods’ sake! Her ex was just there! Couldn’t it wait?

The atmosphere was surreal. It was like a big party, and Jessie couldn’t help but feeling proud, led by her best friend somewhere in the front. All she could see was the Canadian flag up in the air. Jessie knew she’d remember that moment all her life. Her first Olympic games. She was a bronze medallist. And she knew it was just the beginning…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Never grow up, Taylor Swift, Speak Now (2010)


	10. Epilogue: Playing for the New Rome University Romains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Olympics are over, and it's time to return to Camp Jupiter. But Jessie is ready for a new chapter in her life...

Jessie didn’t count the number of times she took a flight from Berkeley to Vancouver, but this time, she knew she wouldn’t do it too soon. The Olympics were over. She had no clue when would be the next camp, and it wasn’t a bad thing. She had done the travel back and forth probably near a hundred times between her first day at camp and the Olympics, so a break would give her time to stay at camp and relax a little (if you could call Jupiter camp relaxing…).

She was hoping the NCAA thing would work out, otherwise she’d still be legionnaire at 30. Normally, she would start university by now. Her coaches and teammates were all asking what team she committed to. She lied and told them she failed a year when she entered in high school and had not committed yet, but it was killing her to say that, as she had good grades and education was just so important to her, to some other universities, she just turned them down politely. She wanted to go to university like all the other girls, she wanted a degree in Engineering, she knew that’s what she wanted to do, but she was scared she’d have to wait.

She decided to take a chance and went to the Praetoria to meet with Reyna. Maybe New Rome University was advancing in their meeting with the NCAA, or maybe she could deal with the praetor. After all, one of her sister once studied in Stanford even if she had not done ten years of service! And Sami Jo Small had never been seen in California after she had her degree, except that time Jessie and Penny met her, and Jessie would be very surprised if Sami and her husband Billy sent Kensi at camp when she’d be twelve. Jessie was even wondering if Billy Bridges knew his wife was a demigod.

Reyna was laughing at the Principia with Jason and Frank when she came in. She could see two‑year-old Lena running everywhere to escape her mother, half naked. It was already clear the toddler would be as funny as her father was. Leo entered in the room too, to pick his daughter, her little pants in hands. Jessie just wanted to laugh too, but she feared the look Reyna would give her. She took the chance that Reyna could be on a good day to ask about the University. Maybe she could at least take some online classes?

              “Is there any advancement about the NCAA thing? I wish I could be implicated in the meeting.”

              “I’m pleasantly surprised the meeting are going well. We haven’t announced it yet, but we are going to have a team. The thing is that it took a bit more time than wanted this year and we are at the end of august, you might have to wait for next year… or the spring season.”

              “Can I at least take some online classes with the University? I’d do it in my free times!” Jessie immediately asked, trying to hide her disappointment.

              “The same free time you use to train for soccer? Listen, I know you want to be an engineer and you really want to focus on soccer more, but…”

Someone entered in the praetoria and cut her off.

              “We just got called by the University of Berkeley. They accept we share their training facilities for the games, as we obviously cannot invite mortals around. The NCAA will add us as their second campus. The student-athletes will have to make the trip for game days, but the installation we use for Demigod Games will be our facilities during weeks. Oh, and you talked to me about some athletes you had at camp that wants to switch already? Well, make your recommendation letter before tomorrow and they will be able to start their season in a week!”

Jessie couldn’t believe what she just heard. Even Reyna looked thrilled, which was odd as she was losing her and probably Mal. Penny was still at high school level, but she knew she’d be the only athlete in swimming for the university.

As soon as the men left, Reyna took a paper and started to write.

              “Can you tell the big news to Mal?”

Jessie never ran as fast. She couldn’t find where the first cohort was, and finding her best friend turned into a training in itself. She finally saw them practicing formations on a hill near the camp.

              “Mal, go subscribe to University and fast, we can play in the NCAA.”

The American looked at her with a big smile, but then said, “I failed one of my online class required for the program I wanted, I cannot go to the university this semester… will they let me train with you after my duties at camp are done, you think? If not, I join the team in January, I swear!”

Michael Kehale did not look happy about his legionnaire leaving the cohort. Jessie was not surprised, Mallory had always a hardest time convincing the centurion to let her go to a camp than Jessie had with Leila. He was worse than Josh. At least, Jessie’s centurion agreed to let her go to camps since she got her legionnaire status two years ago. Mal… it was not always that case. Every call she had had was a fight with Michael, even coming from the senior team coach.

 

Jessie went to her centurions and told them. She had to move to the dorms of the University of New Rome in the following week. The only regret Jessie knew she’d have was Fighting classes and learning about monsters. If her university classes were too basic, at worse she’d skip a class or two and join in some Camp Jupiter classes instead. She had studied engineering a lot in the past year, she wasn’t sure on what she’d learn the first semester and what she’d be bored to listen to because she already knows about it. One sure thing: her knowledge on monsters and her fighting skills needed improvement still.

Leila was disappointed about Jessie leaving, and told she was welcome to come in her classes if she felt the need. Jessie decided to go to her barrack and pack the few things she had. She probably didn’t need more anyways, she could bet the dorms were just room, and hopefully, without roommate and with a bathroom, but Jessie doubted she’d have both.

Reyna came to her. While Jessie went to see everyone that needed to know about it, Reyna had met with the University. They had conditions. Most of them were from the Senate. Jessie looked at the praetor with a little worried look.

              “It’s not that bad, Jessie.”

Jessie was unsure of it. The Senate was way too often against any changes.

              “They did have conditions, but it’s mostly for the interest of Jupiter Camp. If you have kids, they’ll have to go to the camp. Anyway, you will want them to be properly trained, don’t you?”

Jessie made a little smile. It wasn’t stupid. She didn’t plan on having kids now, and the New Rome habitants didn’t come to the camp before they were twelve. So, even if there wasn’t any professional team around, it was probably not a problem. By the time her kids reach twelve, she would have retired playing for a while, no? She’d rather know they are safe and properly trained. Condition 1 accepted.

              “Also, if you ever get rich from sponsor, and seriously, the Senate probably knows nothing about women sports, they want 10 % of the money for the camp. I asked them what was the minimum salary for this rule to apply, knowing that if you have something like forty thousand dollars as player salary, you will want to keep all of it. Their answer is half a million.”

Jessie laughed. Unless she got a very good agent and she ended up “being the next Sinclair” like a lot of people expected her to, she didn’t think she’d gain that amount of money. Get some sponsor, ok, but she was not Alex Morgan. She wasn’t the face of anything, and it kind of pleased her. She hated photoshoots, being taken in picture, and promoting products. Especially when she didn’t really care about the product in itself. Hopefully, she will have a nice agent for that… in four years!

She visited the University in the week. She loved all of it. She met a few of the students entering in Engineering. There was a couple of campers for Jupiter Camp, as well as a few from Camp Half‑Blood. A son of Hephaestus. A child of Athena. Some kids from minor gods Jessie didn’t know about, and couldn’t tell if she was told about Romain or Greeks gods. She felt welcome in town, even if her friends were still at camp. She knew she’d see Penny, Mal, Jill and Lisa around. She wasn’t that far from her sister either, if something happened.

The soccer team looked quite ok, from what Jessie saw at the first practice. They would know about it quite fast, though. They played their first preseason game against UCLA. The team Jessie would have gone to, if she wasn’t a demigod. She remembered when she played Sweden at Drake Stadium, nearly two years before. She couldn’t wait to step on that field again. This time, with purple and golden jersey on. She felt it was a little stupid they were called New Rome University Romains. For a valley hidden from the mortal world, they had gone with the most revealing name! Jessie tried not to question it, she was still proud to wear the colours, but she felt ridiculous. Their logo was obviously SPQR. Senatus Populesque Romanus. The camp’s devise. The Senate and people of Rome, or something similar to that. She wore that one proudly. It was their team’s chants. And Jessie was proud of wearing those colours, proud to be part of the team. Proud to be studying Engineering at a university she could feel safe.


End file.
